OMG! Are you surprised that someone could be imprisoned for life — without parole — for stealing a $159 jacket? Sixty-five percent of the 3200 imprisoned for life without parole are African American, 18 percent are white, and 16 percent are Latino — evidence of what the American Civil Liberties Union calls extreme racial disparities. The crimes that led to life sentences include stealing gas from a truck, shoplifting, possessing a crack pipe, facilitating a $10 sale of marijuana, and attempting to cash a stolen check.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 14:48:39 +0000