As I See It: High Rate of Black Incarceration Is Challenge To Us All

WorkingForChange ^ | 4.18.03 | Cynthia Tucker

[fight_truth_decay]

With little protest from its crime-weary citizens, the United States has become the prison camp of the Western world, locking up 2 million of its population. Young black men are a disproportionate number of the inmates. Among men between 20 and 34, 1.4 percent of white men and 4 percent of Hispanic men are behind bars. But 12 percent of black men in that same age group are incarcerated, according to the Justice Department.

That is a stunning statistic. No community can survive the effective loss of so many of its young men.

And the 12 percent figure manages to minimize the crisis, since it is a snapshot of the prison population over any given day. According to Allen Beck, chief demographer for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 30 percent of black men will be incarcerated during their lives.

Yet you hear little outcry from civil rights advocates. Al Sharpton has campaigned against slavery in Sudan. Jesse Jackson battles gender segregation at Augusta National. Georgia civil rights activist Tyrone Brooks protests the possible return of the Confederate battle flag to the state Capitol.

But the high rate of incarceration -- which is decimating the black working class -- is not the central focus of civil rights advocates. How could that be? It is the single most daunting challenge to black America today because it creates the conditions that lead to other failures.

Already, nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside the bonds of marriage -- leaving those children more vulnerable to educational failure, drug abuse and early parenthood themselves. A community is in trouble when children born to two-parent families represent a minority.

But with so many men of marriageable age behind bars, there is little hope for rebuilding the black family structure. Even when released from prison, those men will make poor prospects for marriage. With criminal histories, they will not easily find good jobs. Moreover, hard time in prison often turns a bad criminal into a worse one -- a man who will be disinclined to rejoin society on any but the most destructive terms.

Clearly, there are among black prisoners many violent felons who deserve their sentences. They are men who rob, murder, rape and maim, making war zones of their neighborhoods. The presence of violent predators not only endangers the lives of law-abiding citizens, but it also ruins economic prospects. Down-at-the-heels neighborhoods have a chance at rebirth only when their streets are safe.

But America's criminal justice system does a poor job of separating the hardened criminal from the minor offender with a shot at rehabilitation -- especially if the offenders are black. Research shows that black men are more likely to be imprisoned for minor offenses, while white men are more likely to be given probation for the same crimes.

This impulse to imprison black men now stretches to include the man-child. Frightened by a few highly publicized juvenile crimes, politicians began imposing harsher sanctions on juvenile offenders in the early 1990s. Predictably, the lash has fallen more frequently on black and brown boys than white.

Among young people who have never been to a juvenile prison, blacks are more than six times as likely as whites to be sentenced by juvenile courts to prison time, according to a 2000 report, "And Justice for Some," issued by the Justice Department and several foundations. For those charged with drug offenses, black youths are 48 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to juvenile prisons, the report said.

It is now possible to visit black neighborhoods where most of the young men have disappeared, where families spend their Sundays visiting their incarcerated loved ones, where boys believe going to prison is a rite of manhood. Those neighborhoods cannot hope to offer their residents a route into the American mainstream.

The epidemic of incarceration ought to be the full-time preoccupation of every civil rights group -- indeed, every human rights group -- in the country. It represents a grave threat to the future not only of black America but to all of America.

Cynthia Tucker is editorial page editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She can be reached by e-mail: cynthia@ajc.com.

[fight_truth_decay]

RAISA PAGES (Granma International)The privatization of prisons in the United States has become a lucrative business with $7 billion in investments every year and annual budget exceeding $35 billion with more than a half million workers, second to General Motors.

Private correctional facilities, employs the cheapest labor without social protection, a prosperous business in 27 states and 120 penitentiaries. Prisoners work for Microsoft, Starbucks and Jansport and others.

There is some belief efforts are under way to export private prisons to Latin American and Europe seeking greater profits.

California has one of the largest prison systems in the world with more public funds slated to the prison system than what goes to education.

[JoJo Gunn]

Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.

[Congressman Billybob]

Cynthia Tucker is such a maroon. The "loss" of these "young men," given that most criminals are repetitious in their crime specialties, means less rapes, less murders, less robberies, less drug dealing in the street.

The tragedy is not that these people are somehow (inferentially for no reason of their own) in prison. It is that they got sent to prison because they did not learn civilized behavior. The errors are in their parents, their schools, their institutions (such as churches, etc.), and in their communities generally.

And yet, it is precisely such people as Tucker who will resist tooth and nail demanding "moral" standards in schools, "moral" standards in institutions, responsibility where it is most important -- and most lacking -- in the biological sources of these prisoners otherwise known as their parents.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, not yet up on UPI, and FR, "Who's Next?"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[Jumper]

Everyone has opportunity and everyone has a responsibility to society; anything less is unacceptable. To let an entire segment of society break the law, within or outside their special status quo is wrong and illegal. The probalem is one that must be addressed within black culture itself, at home, before it hits the streets in youth or adult hood. Schools should stop cattering to the lowest denominator approach in both academic standards and behavior. Unless children are held accountable, the things they learn will inprision them compliments of their parent(s) and society at ever level in America.

[davisfh]

"Young black men are a disproportionate number of the inmates."

Unfortunately, they commit a disproportionate number of the crimes. I don't understand how that is difficult to understand.

[kritikos]

What we have here is the GROSS national product of the Demo's GREAT SOCIETY.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

such as churches?

Hmmm ive never been to a church where they teach drug dealing, murder, rape, pediphelia and the such do thy all belong to sam blacks satanic church?

[Fraulein]

Ping

[hatfieldmccoy]

Okay, this the deal. we don't jail these animals. But we can arrest and jail the clowns when they leave their neighborhoods. If it's so damn unfair then you deal with them.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

More Government Proof Tucked Away
Why doesn't the press report this?

The Report: "The racial distribution of arrestees for rape is similar to the racial distribution for all violent UCR arrests--56% of arrestees for rape in 1995 were "white," 42% were Black, and 2% were of other races."
[The 1995 FBI Uniform Crime Reports is being cited here.]

[Quotation marks around "Whites" added because DOJ includes most Hispanics as whites.]

To confuse rather than elucidate, the DOJ and the FBI classify most Hispanics as "White", although the majority of Hispanics are non-white. The category "Other" refers to American Indians and Orientals. Offenders from the Middle East, India, Pakistan, etc. are also classified as "White". Therefore, I've placed quotation marks around White where ever it appears in the DOJ text.

Greenfeld boldly misleads casual readers! In the 3-page Executive Summary (1/97, NCJ-163931, p. 1) for the full 39-page report, the BJS Statistician Lawrence Greenfeld comments: "Federal statistical series obtaining data on arrested or convicted persons... show a remarkable similarly in the characteristics of those characterized as rapists:... 6 in 10 are "white",..." (?) If the Department of Justice would separate Hispanics from Whites, whites would be less than half of the offenders, possible only one-third. However, even 6 in 10 is not a "remarkable similarity," especially when 72% of the population is non-Hispanic whites. When less than half the offenders are of any one race, there is no similarity. In the Executive Summary, Greenfeld draws the wrong conclusion to mislead readers without the time or inclination to check out and understand the full report.

"Rapes with Black offenders and black victims were about twice as likely as "white-on-white" rapes to involve the use of a gun or knife (14% versus 7%), but interracial rapes, black-on-white or white-on-black [of course White-on-Black rapes are so scarce that this statistic more accurately reflects Black-on-White rapes], were equally likely to involve the use of a gun or knife (about 22%)."

Offenders in State prison
Characteristic	All Violent	Rape	Sexual Assault
Estimated number of offenders, 1994	429,400	33,800	54,300
Male	96.2%	99.6%	98.8%
Female	3.8	0.4	1.2
"White"	48.1	52.2	73.9
Black	48.2	43.7	22.8
Other	3.7	4.1	3.3

Note in the above statistics that while Black males make up only about 6% of the US population, they commit over half of all violent crimes and over 43% of all rapes. The "Other" category is primarily Asian-American and American Indian.

---

MURDERS INVOLVING SEXUAL ASSAULT

WSW: The following table details the "characteristics of known offenders in murders involving sexual assault from 1976-94."

Murders
Characteristic	All	Sexual Assault
Male	86.6%	95%
Female	13.4%	5.0%
"White"	47.8%	58.0%
Black	50.3%	39.9%
Other	1.9%	2.1

Source: FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports.

Sexual assault murder victims differ markedly from other murder victims. Compared to all murder victims, those who died as a consequence of a sexual assault were substantially more likely to be female and "White."

Note that Black men (6% of the population) are over-represented according to their race by a factor of more than eight (for all murders) and by a factor of more than six (for all murders involving sexual assault). If you'd rather compare by race alone, the factors are four-plus and three-plus, respectively.

RAPE VICTIM CHARACTERISTICS

WSW: The following is a breakdown of the characteristics of murder victims and sexually assaulted murder victims according to the FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports.

Rape
Characteristic	All	Sexual Assault
Male	76.4%	18%
Female	23.6%	82.0%
"White"	51.7%	68.4%
Black	46.3%	28.9%
Other	2.0%	2.7%

INTRA & INTER-RACIAL SEXUAL ASSAULTS

This next information was tucked away at the bottom of the report. Too bad, it's quite illuminating.

About 8 out of 10 sexual assault murders were interracial [within the race]. "White" victims and "White" offenders accounted for 55% of sexual assault murders, Black victims and Black offenders accounted for 24% of all murders involving sexual assault. [However,] 2% involved Black victims and "White" offenders, 15% involved "White" victims and Black offenders, and the remainder involved victims and offenders of other races. [Quotation marks around Whites added because DOJ includes most Hispanics as Whites.]

For Black on "White" compared to "White" on Black, there are 8 times more Blacks committing sexual assault murders on "Whites." Since "Whites" outnumber Blacks 8 to 1 in the American population, the per capita ration is 64 to 1.

[Fraulein]

Ping

[CounterCounterCulture]

Memo to Cynthia Tucker: It's the culture, stupid!

[Mustang]

Here is my solution to reduce our prison population:

I'd call it "Freedom Swim." Muster every waste of human debris wearing an orange jump suit to the coasts, east or west as applicable, and conduct a prison-thon swim. Those on the east coast to reach the Azores, and those on the west coast to reach Hawaii, earn their freedom.

Mustang sends from "Malpaso" News.

[fight_truth_decay]

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution legalizes these practices by adopting the exception: slavery and forced labor are not prohibited from being applied "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted."

Add this to your post of :"Young black men are a disproportionate number of the inmates." Unfortunately, they commit a disproportionate number of the crimes. I don't understand how that is difficult to understand.

[Teacher317]

But the high rate of incarceration -- which is decimating the black working class -- is not the central focus of civil rights advocates...
Already, nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside the bonds of marriage -- leaving those children more vulnerable to educational failure, drug abuse and early parenthood themselves.

Gee, I wonder who is responsible for both of these statistics? The blacks who commit the crimes and impregnate women and leave them? NAH! It MUST be SOCIETY'S fault!

No wonder so many young white kids are desperately drawn to urban culture. No responsibility, no fault, no condemnation, no judgment, automatic deferential treatment by government agencies, automatic advantages in employment/scholarships/social programs, automatic deferential treatment any time you cry "I'm offended!"... what hedonistic teenager wouldn't be drawn to a set-up like that?

[Mulder]

I'd be happy to stop locking them up when they stop commiting crimes.

Part of the problem is many of these crimes are victimless ones. Also, it can't be denied that if you have money and influence, you can make the "justice system" work for you. If you don't have money or influence, you're screwed in many areas of the country.

It would be better to repeal most laws, except for ones involving harming another person, property crimes, or fraud.

Those found guilty of serious crimes such as murder, rape, or massive fraud (such as identity theft or framing someone for a serious crime) would be taken out and hanged the next day.

Those found guilty of lesser crimes would be punished via a restitution system whereby the victim was made whole (and then some).

Such an approach would remove the serious problems from the gene pool, reduce crime, and improve the quality of life for all decnet Americans. It would also put a lot of politicians and cops out of work, so it would probably never fly.

[patriciaruth]

The most contributory factors to this high incarceration rate are the extraordinary high rate of out-of-wedlock births among African-Americans (74% last I heard) and the high rate of poor education.

We Republicans are trying to make the schools accountable to teach real information and skills to African-American children so they can access mainstream America's jobs and success.

And we Republicans are trying to instill a sense in the country that morality and parental responsibility do matter. But this part ultimately must come from African-American leaders that set examples.

If the Democrats continue to fight us on both of these fronts and African-Americans continue to throw in their lot with the Dems, then African-Americans will continue to be losers.

[hatfieldmccoy]

Okay I've had it. If the black community can not deal honestly with serious problems within that community that clearly have nothing to do with the "White Man" then their life will not improve. Whitey doesn't make you smoke crack, impregnate your women, murder for drugs etc., etc., etc. Get some real pride and shut up and go to work in your neighborhood.

[c-b 1]

Rev. Jesse Peterson addresses this problem regularly, he identifies the problem, and offers a solution. Cynthia should seek him out for some counciling. The solution would not make her happy, oh well she is never happy anyway.

[green team 1999]

Unfortunately, they commit a disproportionate number of the crimes.

and they do the crime against their own people.

[cyborg]

The black people that do not have these issues are too busy working, and leading normal lives. The phrase 'black community' conjures up horrific images of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Al Sharpton NEVER fought against slavery in the Sudan. That is a LIE.

My sentiments echo yours. I've watched all of my childhood friends get pregnant in their teens, addicted to street reefer (pot mixed with crack),etc. My sister and I were the only girls to not get pregnant. I hear the whitey excuse all the time, and I'm getting weary also.

[fight_truth_decay]

Among persons convicted of drug felonies in state courts, whites were less likely than African-Americans to be sent to prison. Thirty-three percent (33%) of convicted white defendants received a prison sentence, while 51% of African-American defendants received prison sentences.

[cyborg]

I read something similar in Larry Elder's Ten Things book.

[Greenpees]

The shame of it all is this:

Blacks are no more disposed to commit violent crimes than anyone else, the problem is their leadership.

Everytime one of these Black leader speaks, using the OJ defense as fact of a racist country, it gives license to another young Black man to commit a crime.

The "it wasn't me" or "you're only doing this to me because I'm Black" defense isn't working for them anymore. Accountabilty is the only lesson these folks need to learn, and it starts with thier parents.

They can change..It's just a matter of our society not feeling guilty for the "ills of America's past", and the two-bit, so-called "Black leaders" to shut the hell up and stop relegating young Blacks to the pitts of imprisonment.

Blacks are NOT the problem, thier so-called leaders and defenders are.

[redeard]

Two observations:
1) Cynthia Tucker seems to think the display of the Confederate flag is wrong. I would be interested in knowing how she feels about the First Ammendment spin-off that allows for the burning of the American flag.
2) In my community blacks make up about 15% of the population, yet account for over 60% of crimes committed. Are we supposed to look the other way just because a black committed the crime?
What is the answer? EDUCATION! And laws applied equally to all. I am so sick of the whining of liberals.

[FirstTomato]

nearly 70 percent of black children are born outside the bonds of marriage

One guess as to how this came about:
liberal/Democrat/Socialist governmental welfare policies which penalized fathers for being part of the family structure.

The Democrats have terrorized families in America, by attacking men, encouraging women to raise children without fathers, encouraging free sex by free condom programs etc., encouraging deviant lifestyles as normal-- and no wonder these despicable policies have horribly affected not only the black community, but the poor white community (which is often ignored now-a-days).

And still the Democrats get people to vote for them. How? how do they hoodwink so many people?

[Mo1]

Yet you hear little outcry from civil rights advocates. Al Sharpton has campaigned against slavery in Sudan. Jesse Jackson battles gender segregation at Augusta National. Georgia civil rights activist Tyrone Brooks protests the possible return of the Confederate battle flag to the state Capitol.

Maybe they should be preaching more about family values and the importance of Mom and Dad to children .. the importance of teaching their children a good structured family environment .. the importance of working harder at education and building a career and life for themselves

But then .. doing that would put Al and Jesse our of business

I can't speak for the black community, but I know there are better leaders out there then those two fools, I just wish they would speak out more often and get more air time.

Yes, I agree and realize that the crime rate among blacks is high, but it shouldn't be.

[hatfieldmccoy]

It is sad but instructive that the political enabling of the black community in the late 60' and 70's has been squandered by the highly visible ganster rap, crack, illegitimacy and race pimps of today.

[judgeandjury]

But the high rate of incarceration -- which is decimating the black working class -- is not the central focus of civil rights advocates. How could that be?

What the heck can civil rights advocates do except tell black men to quit committing crimes?

[wardaddy]

Not always.

[Congressman Billybob]

If you look at school dropout rates, crime rates, use of drugs, illegitimate children, etc. -- all the measurements of social breakdown -- the dominantly black communities have suffered sharp declines, beginning about two generations ago. If you look at the role of black churches in their own communities over the same period, you see a double decline. The churches have become less effective, and the churches have taken the breaks off with regard to personal responsibility.

I'm not saying that the black churches "teach" or "promote" drug dealing, etc. What I am saying is that black churches have lost -- sometimes by their own choice -- the civilizing and healthy influence they once had. I should add that the positive influence of the churches to society at large has also dropped in predominantly white communities as well, over the same period of time.

But, Cynthia Tucker's focus was on the black communities. So, my comment focused on the same.

Congressman Billybob

[wardaddy]

The answer is first nuclear black familys...then education.

We have poured stratospherics sums into our schools and those in question have largely gone to hell in a handbasket...look at DC.

It is very difficult to teach kids who have no sense of proper behavior. I know teachers who teach in predominately black schools. This is all I ever hear.

The demise of the traditional black family sprang from the same well as permissiveness in public schools.

There is a good reason that in predominately black school districts that only naive liberal yuppies send their kids there. Wealthy black sure don't. Every professional black couple I know here in Nashville send their kids to private school past grade school....same as I will...

I'd do it earlier but I'll have two in college at the same time and I can't spend 70-80K/year on school.

[Mo1]

If you look at the role of black churches in their own communities over the same period, you see a double decline. The churches have become less effective, and the churches have taken the breaks off with regard to personal responsibility.
I'm not saying that the black churches "teach" or "promote" drug dealing, etc. What I am saying is that black churches have lost -- sometimes by their own choice -- the civilizing and healthy influence they once had. I should add that the positive influence of the churches to society at large has also dropped in predominantly white communities as well, over the same period of time.

Because some have stopped listening to their hearts of right and wrong and started listened to the Liberal line

And that goes for white churches also

[cyborg]

I can say for certain the rap ghetto culture is a big part of it. I had the misfortune of going to a 'community summer camp' in Roosevelt, NY. Let's just say I knew what Howard Stern went through. I saw the downward slide then plateau. Sometimes I feel sorry for my kids and the many of the kids I live around. My mom and dad raised me with really awesome work ethic and educational values. Too bad most of the black kids were too busy making fun of my parents, instead of going to the library with me. Now it's different. I think people are getting sick of the liberal welfare pap.

[cyborg]

I'd do it earlier but I'll have two in college at the same time and I can't spend 70-80K/year on school.

*Time to stretch the sea legs my friend... may I suggest community college to ease financial pains.

[wardaddy]

Yes you may.

Or I better hustle up some good luck in the next 3 years.

I'm lucky really...where I live the grade schools are decent and in the neighborhood....after that ...no way.

Decent private school is around 10-15K after you add it all in...per child....I'll have two boys a grade apart.

Same for the girls in college. The oldest will probably opt for public college...nothing fancy...she'll want to get educated..party...get a job...find a decent hombre.

My younger daughter is smarter than I am...maybe 150-170 or so IQ and is very disciplined. She will be a professional to start...I have no doubt but her maternal drive will kick in. We'll have to see how it goes...if she wants it for real...I'll be there or my estate will.

I have a pediatrician friend who got married and has 2 children and now only practices 2 days a week...of course her husband is also a doc so they can do that.

Hell...my uncle who is a doc as well in Jacksonville, gets 18K for a 48 hour stint twice a month on weekends as head emergency trauma surgeon at the major hospital there. He stays at the hospital on call for 2 days and sleeps in his "relax room" between big emergencies. 36K per month for 96 hours/4days work....I could handle that...lol

He also teaches.

[freebilly]

Among persons convicted of drug felonies in state courts, whites were less likely than African-Americans to be sent to prison. Thirty-three percent (33%) of convicted white defendants received a prison sentence, while 51% of African-American defendants received prison sentences.

The world's smallest violin is now playing....

[fight_truth_decay]

Al Sharpton has campaigned against slavery in Sudan

Al Sharpton NEVER fought against slavery in the Sudan. That is a LIE.

Rev. Al Sharpton's recent trip to the Sudan, which was financed by Christian Solidarity International, Rev. Sharpton revealed that he was informed of instances of forced labor occurring among rebel groups in Southern Sudan....it is also Christian Solidarity International that supports the SPLA who are known "slave" traders themselves. For years CSI has called for international support of the SPLA after it has been documented by the US State Department and human rights organizations that the group was abducting young boys and women in the South and forcing them to labor, among other things.

[cyborg]

One trip to the Sudan doesn't make a campaign. Sharpton realizes like many other race baiters that such issues don't get money and attention. I read the article. There have been many christians sending money to buy slaves' freedom. One person I used to listen to was a Ethiopian Jew named William Levi, Operation Nehemiah Trumpet Call. Also, Curtis Sliwa and the Anti-Slavery group has done much in the way of activism on behalf of Sudanese slaves.

SPLA... used to be a such a good group. They've gone the way of many civil rights group... outdated,outliving their usefulness.

[glockmeister40]

Young black men are a disproportionate number of the inmates.

Young black men commit a disproportionate number of the crimes.

Prison is the best place for them. At least while they're locked up they can not victimize the rest of us.

Yes, it is very expensive to keep them in prison. It would cost society more if they were loose on the streets.

[Trickyguy]

Let me see...prisons full of Africans and Mexicans....not
Swedes...federal government encourages the first and excludes the second...hmmm....I think I see a problem here...

[fight_truth_decay]

One trip to the Sudan doesn't make a campaign

I didn't explain myself well. I was referencing 2 statements previously made- one from the body of the text and to the comment made. I agree, it takes more than one visit to be a FIGHT for something and I questioned even the CAMPAIGN when it is financed throught a group who's hands may be dirty as well. Sharpton is said by observers in the Sudan; however, to be the only civil rights leader that has raised questions on slavery issues by the SPLA as well; but then if he has such questions, why did he accept their financing to make such a trip?

[fight_truth_decay]

I agree with 'you do the crime, you do the time'; but I feel EQUAL justice for all and I see BIG BUSINESS in come instances within the prison system. It costs society more than what is just the obvious.

Respectfully
F_T_D

[goldstategop]

Agreed. Its easy to blame Whitey and the system for locking up large numbers of black men as Cynthia Tucker does. Its also a straw man argument. What it deflects attention from is what is leading all these black men to be locked up in the first place? If the black community spent more time answering this question and changing conditions in the black community, a lot fewer black men would need to be locked up to begin with. As usual Cindy is so blinded by rage she can't see what's in front of her and tell fellow blacks that its time to wake up and take steps to keep young black males from pursuing a life of crime. Of course that would mean having to take some responsibility for one's own plight and the reigning credo of liberalism is someone else is at fault for your problems. Until that mindset changes, high numbers of black men will continue to be locked up in prisons across America and I for one don't have a problem with it. Its what needs to be done to keep society safe, especially inner city black neighborhoods, no matter how terrible it might look for TV. Too bad Cindy and her ilk still don't get it.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[Blueflag]

"statistics" like the following should give one pause -- to understnad their veracity and to explore the 'why?' behind the stats.

At face value they imply a systemic bias. I'd like to understand the truth.

---

"Research shows that black men are more likely to be imprisoned for minor offenses, while white men are more likely to be given probation for the same crimes.

Cynthia Tucker inflammatory hyperbole follows --

This impulse to imprison black men now stretches to include the man-child. Frightened by a few highly publicized juvenile crimes, politicians began imposing harsher sanctions on juvenile offenders in the early 1990s. Predictably, the lash has fallen more frequently on black and brown boys than white.

---

Like to know the 'why' behind this as well.

Among young people who have never been to a juvenile prison, blacks are more than six times as likely as whites to be sentenced by juvenile courts to prison time, according to a 2000 report, "And Justice for Some," issued by the Justice Department and several foundations. For those charged with drug offenses, black youths are 48 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to juvenile prisons, the report said. "