Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
“Racial Disparities: Crafting Solutions”
2011 Minnesota Justice Forum
Reducing Racial Disparities
Michael Tonry
Reducing Racial Disparities 1. Radically Reduce Prison
Population. 2. Shift Drug Policy Emphasis
from Street-level Enforcement to Prevention, Treatment, and Tolerance.
3. Reduce Racial Profiling by the Police.
4. Reduce Weight of Criminal History in Sentencing Guidelines.
Table 1. Hypothetical Reduction in Incarceration Rates
Black White Ratio
A. Disparity Reduced 10%
Imprisonment rate, 2006
2,661 483 5.5:1
10% less disparity 2,395 483 5.0:1
Reduction per 100,000 266 0
Reduction , black prisoners
101,000
B. Use of Imprisonment Halved
Imprisonment rate, 2006
2,661 483 5.5:1
Imprisonment halved 1,330 241 5.5:1
Reduction per 100,000 1,330 241
Reduction , black prisoners
505,400
C. Return to 1980 Imprisonment Rates
Imprisonment rate, 1980
827 134 6.2:1
Reduction per 100,000 1,834 349
Reduction , black prisoners
697,000
Table 2. Hypothetical Reductions in Imprisonment, Effects of Racial Make-up
State of Affairs Black Rate Black/white Ratio
Black Reduction
In 2006 2661 per 100,000
5.5:1
Less 10% disparity
2395 per 100,000
5.0:1 101,000
Halve 2006 population
1330 per 100,000
5.5:1 505,400
Return to 1980 level
827 per 100,000
5.5:1 697,000
Source: Tonry and Melewski 2008, table 5
Figure 1. Percentages of State and federal prisoners, by race, 1950-2008.
Sources: for 1950—80: Cahalan (1986); for 1980—2008: BJS, “Prisoners,” various years.
Figure 2. Incarceration, state and federal prisons, local jails, per 100,000, by race, 1950-2008
Sources: BJS (1984, 1990; “Jail Inmates,” various years; “Prisoners,” various years; “Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear,” various years); Cahalan (1986); Gilliard and Beck (1996).
Figure 3. Imprisonment Increases, 1999—2006.
Table 3A. Percentage of Drug Use, by Race, 2005-06: Alcohol, All Illicit Drugs
Drug 2005 2006White Black White Black
Alcohol Ever Used Last year Last month
86.970.556.5
75.255.540.8
86.970.444.8
75.455.140.0
All Illicit Ever Used Last year Last month
48.914.58.1
44.716.09.7
49.014.88.5
42.916.49.8
Table 3B. Percentage of Drug Use, by Race, 2005-06
Drug 2005 2006White Black White Black
Marijuana Ever Used Last year Last month
43.710.66.1
39.012.37.6
43.910.76.4
37.612.47.4
Cocaine Ever Used Last year Last month
15.52.41.0
9.82.01.1
16.32.50.9
9.12.11.3
Crack Ever Used Last year Last month
3.20.50.2
4.91.20.8
3.30.50.2
5.31.30.8
Figure 4. Total arrests for drug offenses, by race, 1978–2006
. Sources: BJS Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics (http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/), various years.
Figure 5. Illicit drug sales among youths aged 12 – 17, by race, 2001–2008.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Various years.
Figure 6. Juvenile Arrest Rate for Drug Offenses, by Race, 1965-2000
Figure 13. Juvenile Arrest Rate for Drug Offenses, by Race, 1965-2000
0
100
200
300
400
500
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Arr
ests
per
100
,000
White
Non-white
Source: Blumstein (1993), Blumstein and Wallman (2006)
Figure 7. The Price of Cocaine 1981 – 2007
Source: Caulkins and Reuter 2010, figure 3, based on data from Office of National Drug Control Policy 2008.
Reducing Racial Disparities
1. Radically Reduce Prison Population.
2. Shift Drug Policy Emphasis from Street-level Enforcement to Prevention, Treatment, and Tolerance.
3. Reduce Racial Profiling by the Police.
4. Reduce Weight of Criminal History in Sentencing Guidelines.
THE LESSON: EVEN IF POLICE MAKE ARRESTS OR FIND CONTRABAND AT EQUAL RATES, MANY MORE BLACK AND HISPANIC PEOPLE ARE ARRESTED.
Table 6 – What is the most important reason for the much Table 6 – What is the most important reason for the much higher Black recommended-prison rate? [higher Black recommended-prison rate? [Answer:Answer: criminal history] criminal history]
CRIMINAL HISTORY SCORE
SEVERITY LEVEL OF CONVICTION OFFENSE (Common offenses listed in italics)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 or
more
Murder, 2nd Degree (intentional murder; drive-by- shootings)
XI 306
261-367 326
278-391 346
295-415 366
312-439 386
329-463 406
346-4802 M.S. § 244.09 requires the Sentencing Guidelines to provide a range of 15% downward and 20% upward from the presumptive sentence. However, because the statutory maximum sentence for these offenses is no more than 40 years, the range is capped at that number.
426 363-4802 M.S. § 244.09 requires the Sentencing Guidelines to provide a range of 15% downward and 20% upward from the presumptive sentence. However, because the statutory maximum sentence for t hese offenses is no more than 40 years, the range is capped at that number.
Murder, 3rd Degree Murder, 2nd Degree (unintentional murder)
X 150
128-180 165
141-198 180
153-216 195
166-234 210
179-252 225
192-270 240
204-288
Assault, 1st Degree Controlled Substance Crime,
1st Degree IX
86 74-103
98 84-117
110 94-132
122 104-146
134 114-160
146 125-175
158 135-189
Aggravated Robbery, 1st Degree Controlled Substance Crime,
2nd Degree VIII
48 41-57
58 50-69
68 58-81
78 67-93
88 75-105
98 84-117
108 92-129
Felony DWI VII 36 42 48 54
46-64 60
51-72 66
57-79 72
62-86
Assault, 2nd Degree Felon in Possession of a Firearm
VI 21 27 33 39
34-46 45
39-54 51
44-61 57
49-68
Residential Burglary Simple Robbery
V 18 23 28 33
29-39 38
33-45 43
37-51 48
41-57
Nonresidential Burglary
IV
121 15 18 21 24
21-28 27
23-32 30
26-36
Theft Crimes (Over $2,500) III 121 13 15 17 19
17-22 21
18-25 23
20-27
Theft Crimes ($2,500 or less) Check Forgery ($200-$2,500)
II 121 121 13 15 17 19 21
18-25
Sale of Simulated Controlled Substance
I 121 121 121 13 15 17 19
17-22
Recommended prison in all cases, based on high offense severity alone – this zone of the grid accounted for 20% of the higher Black recommended-prison rate in 2000 thru 2009
Recommended prison only if a mandatoryminimum applies (sometimes basedon criminal history) – this zone accoun- ted for 17% of the higher Black recomd- prison rate, 2000-09
Recommended prison only at higher criminal history scores – this zone accounted for 63% of the higher Black recomm’d- prison rate 2000-09
