The second half of the second century was marked by numerous steps towards the realization of a society free from racial discrimination. Many people believed that the Second World War was a war against racial discrimination. But was this really the truth People were murdered, subjugated or segregated based on their race or religion (Smedley, pp 24). However, changes that took place after the civil rights era seemed to have transformed the American society into an equitable society but this is not the case. Discrimination against the minority in the United States remain entrenched in the law especially the drug prohibition laws that target the African Americans and the Latino Americans (Glasser, Para 1).
Following the civil rights era in the second half of the 20th century, all racial discrimination that was legally enforced was abolished. This included segregation in the armed forces, schools and public transport, discrimination in voting, employment, and ownership of property and general replacement of the Jim Crows laws with a legal equality infrastructure (Smedley, pp 126). This was after endless civil disobedient and intimidations of the human rights activists by the administration. However, things did not change automatically. Although there is a basic assumption that there are no legal discrimination against the minority races in the United States, the drug prohibition laws and their enforcement is a major civil rights issue today. It is therefore wrong to assume that legal discrimination does not exist in the United States (Glasser, Para 2).
In the 1960s, when the civil rights movements were at their peak, the federal and states correctional facilities had less than two hundred thousand prisoners. In 2004, the number of prisoners in the United States was estimated to be over 2.2 million. This has been directly attributed to the drug prohibition laws commonly known as the war on drugs introduced by President Nixon in the late 1960s. It is important to note that majority of these prisoners are accused of drug offenses which are nonviolent and victimless. Majority of them are accused of possession of illegal drugs either for own consumption or petty sales. It is estimated that the number of drug related arrests have increased with three folds since 1980 which has increased the number of incarceration due to drug crimes from less than a quarter to more than half of the total prisoners population (Glasser, Para 3).
This has resulted into racial disparity in the arrest and incarcerations (HRWR, pp 2). Whereas about thirteen percent of all drug users in the United States are African Americans, the same race account for about 37 of arrests, 53 of convictions and 67 of incarcerations related to drugs. Another minority group affected by the war on drugs laws is the Latino Americans. It is estimated that 22 of the illegal drug users are either Latino or African Americans but they account for 80 of all drug related incarceration (Glasser, Para 4).
The high number of Latinos and African Americans being incarcerated is as a result of them being the target of the drug prohibition laws and not them being more affected by the problem. It is more likely that a Latino or African American driving on the highway or walking on the streets will be stopped and frisked by law enforcers. The racial profiling as a direct consequence of the drug prohibition laws has escalated into a major civil right issue not only in the south but in the entire country (Glasser, Para 7).
In conclusion, four decades after the Jim Crow laws were abolished in the United States laws, discrimination is still legally entrenched in the American legal system. The high number of African Americans and Latino Americans being incarcerated due to non violent and victimless drug crimes can only be explained by racial profiling.
Following the civil rights era in the second half of the 20th century, all racial discrimination that was legally enforced was abolished. This included segregation in the armed forces, schools and public transport, discrimination in voting, employment, and ownership of property and general replacement of the Jim Crows laws with a legal equality infrastructure (Smedley, pp 126). This was after endless civil disobedient and intimidations of the human rights activists by the administration. However, things did not change automatically. Although there is a basic assumption that there are no legal discrimination against the minority races in the United States, the drug prohibition laws and their enforcement is a major civil rights issue today. It is therefore wrong to assume that legal discrimination does not exist in the United States (Glasser, Para 2).
In the 1960s, when the civil rights movements were at their peak, the federal and states correctional facilities had less than two hundred thousand prisoners. In 2004, the number of prisoners in the United States was estimated to be over 2.2 million. This has been directly attributed to the drug prohibition laws commonly known as the war on drugs introduced by President Nixon in the late 1960s. It is important to note that majority of these prisoners are accused of drug offenses which are nonviolent and victimless. Majority of them are accused of possession of illegal drugs either for own consumption or petty sales. It is estimated that the number of drug related arrests have increased with three folds since 1980 which has increased the number of incarceration due to drug crimes from less than a quarter to more than half of the total prisoners population (Glasser, Para 3).
This has resulted into racial disparity in the arrest and incarcerations (HRWR, pp 2). Whereas about thirteen percent of all drug users in the United States are African Americans, the same race account for about 37 of arrests, 53 of convictions and 67 of incarcerations related to drugs. Another minority group affected by the war on drugs laws is the Latino Americans. It is estimated that 22 of the illegal drug users are either Latino or African Americans but they account for 80 of all drug related incarceration (Glasser, Para 4).
The high number of Latinos and African Americans being incarcerated is as a result of them being the target of the drug prohibition laws and not them being more affected by the problem. It is more likely that a Latino or African American driving on the highway or walking on the streets will be stopped and frisked by law enforcers. The racial profiling as a direct consequence of the drug prohibition laws has escalated into a major civil right issue not only in the south but in the entire country (Glasser, Para 7).
In conclusion, four decades after the Jim Crow laws were abolished in the United States laws, discrimination is still legally entrenched in the American legal system. The high number of African Americans and Latino Americans being incarcerated due to non violent and victimless drug crimes can only be explained by racial profiling.
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment