Pubdate: Mon, 07 Nov 2005 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Copyright: 2005 Madison Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.madison.com/wsj/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1706/a06.html 'WAR ON DRUGS' SKEWED AGAINST MINORITIES Regarding Sunday's editorial about addiction and prisons, U.S. government statistics reveal that the drug war is waged in a racist manner throughout the nation. Blacks and whites use drugs at roughly the same rates. Only 15 percent of the nation's drug users are black, but blacks account for 37 percent of those arrested for drug violations, over 42 percent of those in federal prisons for drug violations and almost 60 percent of those in state prisons for drug felonies. Support for the drug war would end overnight if whites were incarcerated for drugs at the same rate as minorities. Racially disproportionate incarceration rates are not the only cause for alarm. Children of inmates are at risk of educational failure, joblessness, addiction and delinquency. Incarcerating non-violent drug offenders with hardened criminals is the equivalent of providing them with a taxpayer-funded education in anti-social behavior. It's time to declare peace in the failed drug war and begin treating all substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse. Robert Sharpe, policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek