There were 11,725 charges brought in Durham between April 1 and September 22, 2013. 79% of these charges were issued against people of color.
There were 495 children, under the age of 18 charged as adults because they are over the age of 15. 83% of these children charged were people of color.
There were 1243 charged with crimes of possession of drugs or paraphernalia. 85% of these charges were issued to people of color, despite studies that show drug use is about the same regardless of a person's race.
It also appears that officers are recording some persons as "White," despite clearly Hispanic surnames, so the data is likely skewed and the racial disparity even greater.
The statistics bear out what you can see when you walk into our new court house or visit the jail: we are disproportionately inflicting criminal convictions on people of color.
I have friends and family who work in law enforcement, and I greatly respect and admire the way these folks put their lives on the line everyday to keep us safe. We ask too much of police officers. I do not think that most officers are consciously racist. However, the numbers make it clear that most officers are operating in a system infected by racism, cultural, institutional, and unconscious racism. Also, the confluence of policy decisions associated with the failed "War on Drugs" have specifically targeted minorities for increased surveillance, prosecution, and longer prison sentences.
For a broader understanding of how this came to be, I recommend Michelle Alexander's excellent book, The New Jim Crow. You can also join us for a viewing of the documentary "The House I Live In" at St. Luke's Episcopal Church at 1737 Hillendale Road tomorrow, September 24, 2013 at 7:00 pm with a community discussion to follow.
From Juvenile In Justice, Richard Ross
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