Racial Bias for Black Prisoners: High Percentages of Blacks in the Prison System and Death Row

According to the Bureau of Justice of Statistics, by the end of 2005 there were 3,145 black male prison inmates per 100,000 in the United States compared to 471 white male inmates per 100,000. This makes one wonder how far we’ve really come in resolving race relations.

Is imprisoning this number of black men humane? Are they not being enslaved again? Some would argue that they do it to themselves either through their behavior with violence or substance abuse.

Perhaps part of the reason there is higher incidences of crime, drug use and mental health issues is because of frustration with the inequality, poverty and lack of opportunities available to these men. It’s understandable how some black men would act out in anger after years of abuse and neglect. This is what needs to be addressed and prevented with children before they too end up in prison. What happens to these children when their fathers go to prison? They are usually headed by single parents and lack not only their fathers, but the child support that goes with it. This can contribute to an ongoing cycle of poverty and crime.

In Philadelphia there was a study done showing blacks had a 38% higher chance of getting the death penalty than whites. Most would draw the conclusion that this shows an obvious discrimination problem, because the murders the whites committed were no less severe. The fact that there are very few black District Attorneys does not help matters. The majority of District Attorneys that assist in convicting these black men to death are white.

Then there are cases where men have been wrongly convicted and put to death. Later they have been proven innocent or at the very least convicted with a racial bias. In some cases the families have been financially compensated, but this still isn’t justice because money can’t bring back their loved ones. In many other cases they were tortured into confessions and often had to do years on death row while waiting for their appeals. The fact that many of these black men do not have the financial resources to hire a decent lawyer also contributes to the likelihood of their wrongful conviction.

“ By reserving the penalty of death for black defendants, or for the poor, or for those convicted of killing white persons, we perpetrate the ugly legacy of slavery-- teaching our children that some lives are inherently less precious than others.”( Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, former President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1989)

May 5, 2008 8:16 PM

Guest :

Does anyone ever take a closer look at what appears to be going on in the black community and accept it for what it is? What is happening in this culture is sad and destructive. Many black families are being judged by what a large percentage of the black community IS doing. No one is forcing these crime to be commited, these criminals are choosing this way of life. The black community in general has struggled with the high number of black men failing to provide support in raising their own children. Planned parenthood states that the highest rate of abortion is among young black women, but they also seem to have the highest rate of teen pregnancies and our of wedlock pregnancies.

I would like to know what types of crimes committed by whites and blacks involved in the analysis for the death penalty and then compare which ones actually qualify for the death penalty. If we are to look at the crimes, the Justice Department stats show the highest rate of violent crimes among black men. As for this Philadelphia "study", who determined that MOST would draw any conclusion about discrimination.

As to children not having their parents while they are in jail, maybe the parents should consider that before they committ a crime. All criminals, black, white, hispanic, should consider the consequences. All criminals guilty of a crime deserve punishment regardless of race. If we make prision a more undisreable place like it used to be, then we might see fewer people signing up for the crime.

For all those men who are wrongly convicted of their crimes, their lives have been ruined and the government should be held to account. No man should suffer such injustice.

I would be curious to study the likelihood that man black men are wrongly convicted and many put to death. Are there any studies done on this? If this is happening, it is wrong and should be dealth with judicially.

I think it is time to stop blaming others and take a good long look at our values in our society and deal with our issues and home by raising a generation of young black men that have respect for women, children and other men. The only way we can rise up is by as a culture is by correcting where we have failed. Fathers need to raise their children and try to stay married. Our culture has more fatherless/parentless children than ANY other race. We need to have fathers at home to raise men so that our boys will quite looking for their manhood from examples that society applauds; rappers, athletes, etc....
We need to be able to stand on Godly morals and principles and quit blameing others when our godless ways have ended in ruin.

Your are right about one thing. We are slaves. We are slaves to our sin and are enslaving ourselves. The white men aren't bringing us down. We are bringing our own selves down.