So What Happens Now?

[Kevin]

Originally posted by valkyrie
Here is a link to the 2004 "Persons Arrested" report from the FBI (.pdf). Personally, I'd rather look at the numbers themselves than consider reports from organizations with questionable motives.

According to the FBI, in 2004:

Of all arrestees for violent crimes, 60.4% were white, 28.5% were black, and the remaining 2.5% were of other races.

For all arrests, 70.5% of arrestees were white, 27.1% were black, and 2.4% were other races.

As a side note, 76.2% of arrestees were male and 82.2% of arrestees for violent crimes were male.

To be fair, are hispanics considered white or black? It's rare that I've seen a government statistical report that doesn't account for hispanics seperately. I'm guessing that they're just considered "not black"?

Considering that latinos/mexicans are such a substantial part of our population (and prison population), this FBI report is quetsionable as far as its usefulness in determining exactly how many whites versus blacks are behind bars (unless you are going to argue that latinos and whites are the same for the purposes of racial statistic gathering).

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ktsnake
To be fair, are hispanics considered white or black? It's rare that I've seen a government statistical report that doesn't account for hispanics seperately. I'm guessing that they're just considered "not black"?

Considering that latinos/mexicans are such a substantial part of our population (and prison population), this FBI report is quetsionable as far as its usefulness in determining exactly how many whites versus blacks are behind bars (unless you are going to argue that latinos and whites are the same for the purposes of racial statistic gathering).

Many racial categorizations for Hispanics have two defining categories: Hispanic non-white and Hispanic non-black

What you have highlighted in your post is one of the major concerns of crime incident, arrest, and incarceration data broken down by demographics. However, even with the new immigration and the fact that many Hispanics can also be black (or white), black males comprise a larger (and disproportionate) % of incarcerated persons as compared to white males. Much of this has to do with the war on crack cocaine and gun violence.

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by ilikehazing
40% black?

and what, 13-15% of the United States...

hmmm..

What point are you trying to make?

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
However, even with the new immigration and the fact that many Hispanics can also be black (or white), black males comprise a larger (and disproportionate) % of incarcerated persons as compared to white males. Much of this has to do with the war on crack cocaine and gun violence.

It also has to do with racial profiling. The statistics don't indicate and the media doesn't cover the fact that racial profiling goes on in this country. People still get stopped for Driving While Black, or in some cases Standing Outside Your Apartment Smoking a Cigarette While Black and Wearing a Hoodie.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
Many racial categorizations for Hispanics have two defining categories: Hispanic non-white and Hispanic non-black

What you have highlighted in your post is one of the major concerns of crime incident, arrest, and incarceration data broken down by demographics. However, even with the new immigration and the fact that many Hispanics can also be black (or white), black males comprise a larger (and disproportionate) % of incarcerated persons as compared to white males. Much of this has to do with the war on crack cocaine and gun violence.

Why are we not calling many hispanics what they really are -- native Americans..

That's at least true for those of Aztec descent.

[Optimist Prime]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Why are we not calling many hispanics what they really are -- native Americans..

That's at least true for those of Aztec descent.

Because they are mixed, I though, was the reason.

I had Mexican friend in HS and he was pretty happy with being a "half-breed" (his term).

Not to sound too hippy-ish, but can't we all be people?

In 6th grade the choices on our test were:

White
African - American
Hispanic (non-Black)
Hispanic
Hispanic (non-White)
Native American
Eastern Asian
Other Asian
Alaskan Native/Pacific Islander

Not sure why those last two were together


Anyway, here is my question, based on the above responses....couldn't some one who identified as Hispanic check all three responses?

[shinerbock]

Lets be honest about profiling. It exists for a reason, and it works. When there is a serial killer on the loose, they look for a white male. If people have been getting mugged in a shady part of town, you're not often gonna waste your time looking for white teens who might be doing it. If the terror level is very high, it isn't very logical to stop someone who looks like me. Sure, its overplayed and abused, but we need profiling.

[Rudey]

You know I don't know what gang I would join if I had to go to jail. Has anyone else given this some thought? And I mean if you couldn't kill yourself or become a fugitive and you can't get solitary or be thrown into the sweat box or whatever they always talk about. You have to pick one gang.

I saw that show Oz the other day and my roommate and I made a pact to help each other escape the country if we ever had to spend time in a federal penitentiary. Plus on Prison Break they make dudes hold onto your pocket and the shower scene in American History X had me crying.

-Rudey

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Why are we not calling many hispanics what they really are -- native Americans..

That's at least true for those of Aztec descent.

Maybe you need to speak with those particular Hispanics and ask if they've pushed to be called "Native American."

Hispanic is a vast category and many people fail to realize that it encompasses black, white, Native American, and so forth. Many Hispanics also fail to realize (or acknowledge) this, despite the fact that many Latin American countries are separated by skin color and hair texture.

((((What is this thread about, again?))))

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by shinerbock
its overplayed and abused

That's the point.

When black male celebrities and young black males without prior arrests get pulled over for driving new cars in white neighborhoods, it is clear that criminological profiling is rarely applied as it was conceptualized.

The pursuit of serial killers and terrorists (and white collar criminals, for that matter) happens much less often than the pursuit of "street criminals."

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
Not to sound too hippy-ish, but can't we all be people?

No.

Humans have created racial categories just like we have created other categories. But, feel free to revoke your categorized life and live in a tree for the rest of your existence.

[shinerbock]

Well I don't know. I think the driving while black thing, in everyday situations, is pretty bad. However, the whole black celeb thing can get a little dicey. I mean, in my situation (from Atlanta), think about the decisions the police have to make. I agree that an ordinary black guy driving home getting pulled over is probably a bad use of racial profiling. But in town, where you have a lot of shady things going on involving rappers and such, I think the scrutiny is warranted. It depends on the situation, for example my neighborhood really doesnt have any black families, so someone driving through in a tinted window car with rims would raise eyebrows. I'm not saying they should get pulled over just for it, but I understand the suspicion behind it in certain situations.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by shinerbock
Well I don't know. I think the driving while black thing, in everyday situations, is pretty bad.

Yeah.

[ilikehazing]

Wake me when everyone finishes cutting and pasting statistics.

Because you prefer ignorance to fact?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ilikehazing
Because you prefer ignorance to fact?

Because I can smell laypersons with newly found "facts" a mile away.