Prison Statistics (2008 Chart)

U.S. Department of Justice ^ | June 30, 2008 | DOJ

[bogusname]

At midyear 2008, there were 4,777 black male inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents being held in state or federal prison and local jails, compared to 1,760 Hispanic male inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents and 727 white male inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents.

[bmwcyle]

It is the Democrat Congress' Fault

[Doogle]

stats, mean nothing as we've learned over the last 40 years

[JohnLongIsland]

the results of liberalism, and with the current administration’s policies chances are in ten years the figure will increase proportionately to the deficit.

[Principled]

Isn’t jail racist or sumpthin’?

Is it racial profiling to go after a non-white in the commission of a crime?

[bmwcyle]

Or they are all really criminals. Let’s see who are the biggest crooks in Congress right now?

[clee1]

Hmmmm.....

I wonder why THAT is?

(in best Church-lady voice)
Could it be..... CONGRESS!

[nathanbedford]

I read it, this report says that roughly 6 1/2 times as many African-Americans are doing time as whites. That about 2.7 times as many African-Americans are doing time as Hispanics. Although it is not clear that one can equate those incarcerated with those under the jurisdiction of the system, it appears that women account for less than 1/2% or for every woman (black white or Hispanic) incarcerated (or in the system somehow) there are 200 African-American men incarcerated.

If I were a state policeman on the New Jersey Turnpike I would look at these statistics and I would say if I really wanted to stop crime I would stop and search African-Americans who are 6 1/2 times more likely than whites to warrant incarceration. Moreover, since African Americans constitute one 10th of the overall population the relative percentage of African-Americans, as opposed to the relative percentage of whites who are worthy of incarceration, jumps to about 30 to 1.

But since I am a constitutionally minded state policeman in New Jersey, I will stop an equal number of women as young black males in my effort to stop crime and I will stop an equal number of aging white men. If I am diligent in doing this, I understand I will be eligible to transfer to the Department of Homeland Security where I can screen airline passengers.

[expat_panama]

While being non-white means a five-fold increase in the probability of being in prison, being a man is a 14-fold increase. Saying this means non-whites are bad is saying men are worse.

[nj patriot]

So this proves we are discriminating against males.

[Waco]

We’d rather put cell phone users and seat belt scofflaws behind bars and p-ss on the violent crime victims.

[expat_panama]

we are discriminating against males.

We all have our prejudices.  When I walk down a street at night I'm a lot more cautious when I see a man approach than a woman. 

Of course, we don't hate men for crime because we know that there's more to men then crime.  Well, you and I know it at least, but the point is that understanding non-white crime has to be five times as easy as understanding male crime.

[norwaypinesavage]

"there were 4,777 black male inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents being held in state or federal prison and local jails"

There is something wrong with those numbers. The statement says that nearly 5 percent of the U. S. population is black and in jail. That would be more than a third of the black population in the country. Since most jail inmates are male, that would comprise the vast majority of all black males in the country. That is not possible.

[bogusname]

I enjoyed that post, thanks.

[Huebolt]

"there were 4,777 black male inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents being held in state or federal prison and local jails"

Probably 4,777 black males per 100,000 U.S. black male residents. I guess?

I want to see how many REGISTERED DEMOCRATIC VOTERS (former) make up that prison population. I'd bet 99.999999999999% or more.

[bogusname]

I just figured it roughly with a calculator and it comes to 14,331000 black males in jail or prison just as you said.
Then I went to another page of DOJ and found this and I quote,”Based on current rates of first incarceration, an estimated 32% of black males will enter State or Federal prison during their lifetime, compared to 17% of Hispanic males and 5.9% of white males.”

So as bad as it sounds it is evidently the case.

[Your6]

My goodness! This certainly proves America is a RACIST Country!

[norwaypinesavage]

32% in jail at some point in their life is a whole lot less than 70% in jail now. As Huebolt says above, the statement must have meant ‘per 100,000 BLACK residents’. Those numbers at least don't defy logic - though they do defy sanity.

[bogusname]

That interpretation crossed my mid too. It probably is 4,777 per 100,000 black males. That’s the government for you.

[Above My Pay Grade]

The stat that blacks are 6 1/2 more likely to be incarcerated already takes into account the lower population of blacks, so the 30 to 1 number is not valid.

I think we need to keep these statistics in proper perspective. On the one hand they show that blacks are committing crimes at a far higher rate per capita. Also, the liberal argument that the incarceration rates are due to discrimination in the justice system are bull. Studies consistently show that the racial breakdown of those arrested and convicted closely matches the racial breakdowns reported by crime victims.

On the other hand, we need to keep in mind that the vast majority of blacks are not criminals, but law abiding citizens. They should not be held responsible for crimes they did not commit.