New Jim Crow

Main points

New Jim Crow – Main points

• In 2005, 4/5 of all drug arrests were for posession.

• 80% of the growth in arrests in the 1990s was for marijuana

• The prison population went from 300,000 in 1980 to over two million in 2000.

• In 2007, seven million Americans (1/31) were in prison, on probation or on parole.

New Jim Crow – Main points• Florida v. Bostick:– Makes warrantless, consent searches OK. – “consent” searches are effective because the vast majority

of people will consent, even if they have something to hide.• McClesky v. Kemp– Racial bias in Georgia’s death penalty sentencing not

sufficient evidence to acquit a man from death row.– Meant that even if evidence of a pattern of racial profiling

can be provided in court, evidence must be provided that a particular defendant was targetted solely on the basis of race.

– This is nearly impossible because any other factor can suffice (such as clothing, behavior…)

New Jim Crow – Main points

• Pretext Stops– After Florida V. Bostick, police departments

engaged in a strategy of pretext stops to search cars for drugs.

– 99% of pretext stops by narcotics task forces no citations.

New Jim Crow – Main points

• Cash incentives to police departments to enforce drug laws

• SWAT team raids rise from 3000/year in the 1980s to 40,000/year in 2001.

• Military cooperation with police departments

Solutions

• A caste system is only made possible by the fact that we see some people as being worth less than others.

• If we can humanize the “worst of the worst,” see them as our equals, and as deserving of the same respect and dignity as we ourselves demand, perhaps then we can begin to dismantle caste.