Racist or Racism?

[Amerpie]

For eight years I worked as prison guard in a medium sized men's felony unit in North Carolina. Our state's general population is roughly 80% white. The inmates in the state's prison system are roughly 80% African-American.

How would you interpret this?

[mr_hat]

1. At least you didn't work on Ellis Unit One.

[eaprez]

2. How I See it.....

That the white majority has better legal representation.
It reflects the weaknesses of the humans who administer it.
That's one of many reasons I oppose the death penalty.
May I suggest a good book on this, and many other issues involving race....its an easy read and very eye opening.
"Two Nations: Black, White, Hostile and Unequal" By Andrew Hacker.

[malachibk]

3. Structural racism

A "White vandal" and a "Black vandal" have very different probabilities of winding up in prison; profiling, fewer resources to get good counsel, biased juries/judges, three-strike-laws, sub-par public education in inner-cities provides less capability to navigate the labyrinth of the justice system -- lots of things stacked against minorities in this country lead to such disparities (especially when you consider that Blacks make up only 13% of the US population).

[skooooo]

4. racism & classism...

Poorer people have fewer means to protect themselves all the way around. They get caught more often doing stuff, and they don't have the means or information to protect their rights after they are caught.