Vermont's Black Prison Population Doubles

[SFnomad]

http://www.wcax.com/story/6828591/vermonts-black-prison-population-doubles

A new study indicates that Vermont has the second highest number of black people in prison per capita in the nation.

The Sentencing Project found that blacks are sentenced to prison in Vermont at 12-and-a-half times the rate for whites.

Experts say the numbers are somewhat misleading because Vermont has so few African-Americans just a little over one-half of one percent of the total population.

But the percentage of blacks in Vermont prisons is nearly twenty times greater than the percentage in the general population. State officials say aggressive drug enforcement over the last decade only partially explains the increase.

Vermont's corrections commissioner Rob Hofmann is confident that the increase in black inmates is because of bad behavior, not racial bias.

Yeah, of course it's not racial bias.

On Edit: It's funny how quickly the BS Cheerleaders took offense to this ... and I didn't mention BS at all. Also, for those that are blaming Bill Clinton (and Secretary Clinton for this), if you bothered to read the article, you'd know that the reason for it is "Vermont dramatically stepped up drug enforcement ten years ago in response to a surge of crack and heroin related deaths, robberies, and shootings" ... that has NOTHING to do with the Clintons.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Bernie Sanders is responsible for this because he's from Vermont!!

*sigh*

[virtualobserver]

2. He is emperor of Vermont....all of the laws are his personal edicts - all judges under his thumb

[HooptieWagon]

10. Camp Weathervane's internals for NY must be really bad.

They are desparately flinging feces everywhere.

[Jitter65]

16. Yeah, funny how that works. Ask Hillary who is responsible for everything since 1992. nt

[Xipe Totec]

3. Tell me who is fighting to reverse this

Is it Hillary?

No?

Why not?

Oh... her husband signed the laws that made this possible.

[silvershadow]

6. +1 nomination. nt

[Travis_0004]

13. Didn't the congressional black caucus endorse those laws?

[Xipe Totec]

23. I have no idea. You tell me

And tell me you feel that justifies the results.

[Travis_0004]

26. They did

Sure it was a bad law, but it had unintended consequences. At rhe time most people thought the law was a good idea, and voted for it.

Sanders also voted yes on the bill.

[Xipe Totec]

28. Did they also call offenders "Super Predators"?

Did Bernie?

[2naSalit]

32. Yes, in fact

that was the term used by researchers who passed it along and everyone used it at the time, insensitive as it was. You think people are having issues with racial inequality now, you should have seen it then. It was not a term the Clintons made up and it is something that Hillary has apologized for several times. Get beyond this trivial point and help to correct the problems that came with this law, like trying to change the parts that suck. BTW, in that Bill there were also the Violence Against Women Act, Federal Assault Weapons Ban... as you can see some of it has been rescinded already, and the onerous parts can be corrected too if we have a willing Congress and President.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Crime_Control_and_Law_Enforcement_Act


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjIicbYnpLMAhXosIMKHS9jCE8QFghBMAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.govtrack.us%2Fcongress%2Fvotes%2F103-1994%2Fh416&usg=AFQjCNHDIq7eORwffuVUgsK4mBqmPxsJQw

No legislation is perfect but we can keep trying to get it right, that's what is cool about our system, we can change bad legislation if we work to do it.

I never look at any politician and expect a savior, no matter who they are, and I don't expect anything to work to my benefit unless I take action to make it so, legally.

[Jitter65]

18. Don't see Bernie fighting to reverse this...do you? nt

[silvershadow]

4. Even Vermont lives under the scourge of the right-wing policies enacted by Bill Clinton. nt

[HooptieWagon]

8. Which targeted AA communities.

This Hillarian poutrage is going to blow up in their faces.

[silvershadow]

9. As it should. She's really being backed into a corner. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

[SFnomad]

11. If you bothered to read the article, you'd realize that has nothing to do with it

But you people knee-jerk and blame the Clinton's for everything.

[silvershadow]

20. I sure do. They are on the decline in my party (and I hope for good). nt

[SFnomad]

21. The Clintons on the decline? With 200+ more delegates and 2+ million more votes?

You live in upside down world, that is for sure.

[silvershadow]

22. Time waits for no man or woman. If not now, then the party will fracture as badly as the R's. nt

[SFnomad]

24. That's not going to happen, no matter how much you want it to n/t

[silvershadow]

25. And I'm completely cool with that.

[MgtPA]

5. "Experts say the numbers are somewhat misleading because Vermont has so few African-Americans.."

".. just a little over one-half of one percent of the total population."

Ten years ago, there were 48 blacks in prison in Vermont.

Today there are 210.

[Jitter65]

14. Obviously, they want even fewer than they have. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. Hence the qualifier: "per capita". You do know what that means, right?

[HooptieWagon]

7. Must be the poutrage du jour.

But it does serve to shine a light on Sanders platform to end private prisons and the war on drugs. Clinton favors both, which are a result of Bill Clinton's harsh crime laws which directly targeted AA community.

[Downwinder]

12. Which State is number one?

[matt819]

15. Might be worth exploring. Or not.

So the op says he/she didn't mention Bernie and yet Bernie supporters weighed in. Don't be so disingenuous. Most - all? - of the anti-Vermont sentiment from Hillary supporters is directed at Bernie. I'll bet you're wearing that Hillary smirk right now.

I don't know what's behind the stats you refer to, but I do live near VT and have a thought. I-91 is the major north-south highway in the western part of the state, running from the MA border to Canada. This has been a popular drug run to the NY area, and I'll bet that most residents in northern New England have been stopped on 91 by law enforcement or border patrol. I would guess that as a result there are numerous prisoners in VT prisons who are not necessarily VT residents.

[SFnomad]

17. If I had meant this as a BS hit piece, I would have put it in GD-P

and would have made comments about BS along with it, you'll notice I didn't do that.

[Jitter65]

19. Well, you can put mine in GD Primaries if you like but I mean it as a BS call out.

"Mr. Speaker, it is my firm belief that clearly, there are some people in our society who are horribly violent, who are deeply sick and sociopathic, and clearly these people must be put behind bars in order to protect society from them. But it is also my view that through the neglect of our Government and through a grossly irrational set of priorities, we are dooming tens of millions of young people to a future of bitterness, misery, hopelessness, drugs, crime, and violence. And Mr. Speaker, all the jails in the world, and we already imprison more people per capita than any other country, and all of the executions in the world, will not make that situation right. We can either educate or electrocute. We can create meaningful jobs, rebuilding our society, or we can build more jails. Mr. Speaker, let us create a society of hope and compassion, not one of hate and vengeance.""

And then he voted FOR the bill. (Bernie Sanders, 1994 House floor discussion of the crime bill.).

[egalitegirl]

27. Vermont Governor is a Hillary supporter

http://vtdigger.org/2015/05/20/shumlin-endorses-hillary-clinton-for-president/

[SFnomad]

30. Clearly he knows a winner when he sees one

But who the Vermont Governor supports, what does have to do with the OP?

[rock]

29. They're still repeating that crap in the above comments

Welcome to DU! Stay a while. The stink in this place is going to clear out shortly!

[SFnomad]

31. I'm really looking forward to that day n/t

[dembotoz]

34. remember the good ole days when trolls hid under bridges....just sayin

what is next???? Maple syrup more dangerous than heroin?