> > "The latest figures, for 1996, (for the US) show
> > that on any given day, approximately
> > 30 percent of black men ages 20 to
> > 29 were under correctional supervision
> > either in jail or prison or on
> > probation or parole in the community."
>
> That does seem a remarkable statistic. We can guess, from writers such as
> Charles Murray, how these statistics are regarded by the right wing. But
> what do lefties/radicals/academics/criminologists in the US have to say
> about such statistics? What books should we have to hand in order to
> interpret such statistics?
There's lots, but the most objective source I can think of for you is
Amnesty International. For a list of recent reports dealing with the
U.S. including death penalty, justice system, police brutality and
indiscriminate shootings, prison conditions, political prisoners,
asylum-seekers, maximum-security prisons, and so on, see
http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/countries/indx251.htm
> I don't know what the comparable statistic would be for Britain. Does
> anyone know?
Sorry, no, but the U.S. really stands out on this, I'm sure Britain
doesn't really compare. Back in the Apartheid days it was often quoted
that the U.S. had a higher proportion of Black men in prison than
South Africa. (!) And as your article shows, it's gone up since then.
Also, with an ethnic minority population in GB of only 6.4%
(http://www.statistics.gov.uk/stats/ukinfigs/pop.htm)
you don't have the same proportions to compare. In the U.S., inner
cities have been incredibly de-funded while in California suburbs you
have the growth of gated communities. Both trends point to increasing
re-segregation along racial and class lines that I don't think
compares anywhere in Europe.
> The situation in Britain seems relatively favourable. The one area where
> the debate about causes of inequality has really come into the open is with
> regard to crime. The charge that there is institutionalised racism in the
> police is now firmly on the public agenda. This seems to be a sharp
> contrast both with the US and other areas of inequality in Britain.
It is certainly a big issue in the States too. Ever since the Rodney
King beating and riots in LA, police brutality (particularly in Black
communities) is a well-known phenomenon by the public. That doesn't
stop politicians like George W. Bush from exploiting fear of crime and
fear of non-white minorities (sometimes called New Majorities because
of the demographic trends of particularly Hispanics in the U.S.) with
a tough on crime stance. The Democrats, with the Black and liberal
vote in their pocket (we vote for the 'lesser of 2 evils' or don't
vote at all) compete using similar rhetoric and policies.
Some states have prison chain gangs again, and many prisons are being
privatized and becoming a commercial venture with forced labour.
Construction of prisons is a bigger industry than construction of
houses. The social welfare net has been effectively dismantled, first
for men (General Assistance) then for women and children (Aid to
Families with Dependent Children). Unemployment benefits only last for
6 months. I sure hope this dire situation will be limited to the U.S.
> Is there any other area where the charge of institutionalised inequality has
> been widely accepted and been made to stick?
The starker the reality, the easier to make it stick. Changing it's
another story.
> Ray Thomas, Social Sciences, Open University
> Tel: 01908 679081 Fax 01908 550401
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> 35 Passmore, Milton Keynes MK6 3DY
>
Robin Rice
[ex-patriot]
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