Crime, Minorities and Drugs in the City of Baltimore

The drug epidemic, in all aspects, is an issue that affects each one of us in one way or another. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, (2016), drug arrests increased last year to 1.57 million, a jump of 5.63 percent over 2015. Even though illegal drug trade is common in all social classes, the conflict theorist would suggest that minority groups would be more likely pursued for drug violations than the dominant class. Conflict theorist belief that crime is caused by social and economic

defendants in U.S. criminal cases receive much longer prison sentences than White men do. Prison sentences of minorities were approximately 20% longer than those of White men for the same crimes in recent years, an analysis by the United

the ruling class. The American crime series, “The Wire” highlights a more recent and relevant demonization we have failed to notice. The show suggests rather explicitly, that the “War on Drugs” is analogous to another red scare, once again demonizing minorities and the American lower class through the creation of systems which made the drug trade, an endeavor largely undertaken by the poor, increasingly frowned upon. Through a close observation of the American city, and in particular the criminals

On August 5th 2014, the Baltimore City Council launched one of the strictest youth curfews in the nation. The curfew requires that all youth under the age of 14 be indoors by 9 p.m. and 15 and 16-years olds in at 10 on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends. (Reed) The curfew itself sparked an outrage from Baltimore citizens, mainly parents and youth. Many deem the new restriction positive and beneficial to the city’s drug and crime problems, but others visualize it as “ineffective and discriminatory,

disparities are plaguing the city of Baltimore. There are numerous issues that the city of Baltimore is facing, many of which did not come to light until the case of Freddie Gray. On April 2015, a 25-year-old black man by the name of Freddie Gray fell victim to police brutality. After the discovery of his death and the unreasonable way he was treated, Baltimoreans began to protest. The anger and frustration began to escalate due to other social and economic problems the city faces regularly. Christian

counselors, it would be very easy for teachers to fit in class activities that relate to these subjects. The second thing schools should do is have anti-drug programs that come in to talk to students about the dangers of drugs and how they could affect them. Although these are not known to be 100% effective, even if it changes one student’s mind about doing drugs, it is worth it. The final means of school intercession would be to have successful people from those areas come in and show the students that it

personnel (American Civil Liberties Union, 2013). These police personnel discriminately target the minorities as criminal suspects, which eventually skews the racial population of the people arrested, charged, put in jail or convicted (Cole, Smith, & DeJong, 2013). One of the key problems suffering (from sickness) the U.S. criminal justice system is (assuming certain races of people are more likely to commit crimes) (Cole, Smith, & DeJong, 2013). This involves the identification of criminal suspects on the

determine your wealth. Although the three reading have a lot in common, but they all seem to have their own differences. “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore is about two men named Wes Moore that so happened to grow up in the same troubling city, Baltimore. Wes Moore the author tells the story about both him and the other Wes Moore’s life. Moore also talks about how you choose your own path or destiny, and how you shouldn’t let where you from define what you’ll become. Wes the author went on to

jail more than the last four decades. Mostly because of the war on drugs. So far whites and blacks have been involved in many drug offenses, possession and sales, at a very comparable rate. “While African Americans comprise 13% of the US population and 14% of monthly drug users they are 37% of the people arrested for drug offenses” (Marc Mauer). The police usually stop blacks and Latinos at rates higher than whites. Within New York City, the people of color make up about half of the city’s population

Brutality on Minority Communities Police brutality thrives in the inner city regions where minority communities live and work. Police brutality is a crime punishable by law and is often instigated by law enforcement officers who are either racially biased or prone to authority abuse and violent (re)actions. Allegations abound concerning police brutality with police officers using unnecessary or excessive force, committing battery, conducting illegal body searches and bullying. Minority communities