Hitchens in the Post

[Luke Weiger]

> Speaking of prisons, just got the Bureau of Justice Statistics
> "Prisoners in 2001" in the mail. It reports that 3.5% of black men in
> the U.S. are sentenced prisoners - i.e., not merely in local jails
> awaiting booking or trial or sleeping off a binge, but serving time
> in a state or federal prison - and 10% of all black males between age
> 25 and 29. Truly fucking remarkable numbers.
>
> A mere .5% of all white men, and 1.2% of those in their late 20s, are
> in a similar situation.
>
> The pub is available at <http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/p01.htm>.
>
> Doug

I think this probably has a lot more to do with economic inequality than
institutionalized racism.

-- Luke