Racial disparity on drug cases
deserves attention

		Eye on the  Capitol  John Huebscher

In 1999 the state Catholic bishops created a task force, chaired by Auxiliary Bishop Robert Morneau of Green Bay, to examine the implications of the growth in Wisconsin's prison population.

The task force produced a report that was the foundation for the bishops' pastoral letter on crime and punishment in Wisconsin. The letter, Public Safety, the Common Good, and the Church, reflected on the complex issues that influence the state's criminal justice system and the policies that guide it.

The task force noted that in 1999, African-Americans, though they accounted for only five percent of Wisconsin's population, comprised over 48 percent of our state's prison population.

The bishops took note of that when they suggested several principles to guide public policies in the area of criminal justice. "Such policies," they wrote, "must be assessed in light of their impact on racial minorities, who are disproportionately represented in the corrections system."

Nearly a decade later, that disparity still exists. By some measures, it may be worse.

Disparity in prison terms

Two recent studies offered a sober analysis of how the war on drugs and sentencing policies treat African-Americans far more severely than whites. As reported in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, one study by the Sentencing Project and another by Human Rights Watch found that drug use among whites and blacks is nearly equal. But when it comes to punishment, that equality vanishes.

Here in Wisconsin, blacks are 42 times more likely than whites to receive a prison term for a drug conviction. This is the highest racial disparity in the nation. Across the U.S., the rate of drug arrests for black offenders in 40 large cities increased more than three times as much as those for white offenders.

The studies observed that one reason for disparity might be that law enforcement efforts focus on urban areas where drug offenses tend to be more visible. Others point out that in cities drug-related crime is more associated with violence and other crimes. They argue that the greater prosecution of black drug offenders in urban areas with high African-American populations reflects a desire to reduce violence and make the neighborhoods safe.

We can't blame police officers who risk their lives to keep people safe for focusing efforts in areas prone to violence. But the criminal justice system is about more than law enforcement.

The courts that dispose of cases are also important. More and more communities around the country (including some in Wisconsin) use special drug treatment courts that offer alternatives to prison. Perhaps the legislature will consider using such courts in more places, including Milwaukee. A greater commitment to education and treatment of offenders might also help.

Need to address issues

Policy makers and the voters also have a role. If we don't want a drug offense to turn into a life sentence, we need to examine ways to help offenders reintegrate into the community.

We also need to ask if it is wise for our laws to make it harder for former offenders to get a job or an occupational license? If blacks are more likely to be convicted and imprisoned for drug offenses, won't policies that limit the job options for ex-offenders also hit them harder? Is that fair? And in the long run, is it wise?

Studies are not infallible and they may reflect certain policy preferences. But by calling attention to the fact that drug laws are not color blind in their impact, the Sentencing Project and Human Rights Watch have identified a serious problem with moral implications for our state. We need to address it.

John Huebscher is the executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.

Earth-saving tips remembered
from our youth

		Grand Mom  Audrey  Mettel Fixmer

We know all about the perils of life today. The media is keeping us well informed. Al Gore has been recognized with the Nobel Prize for his role in bringing global warming to the forefront, and thousands of others have hopped on the bandwagon with plans to stop the onslaught.

Everywhere we turn we are being urged to cut back our wasteful use of energy and save the earth. To us senior citizens the recommendations all seem to have a familiar ring.

Conservation . . .

We remember Monday washdays when water was conserved. It had to be heated in a big copper boiler on the stove and poured into the washing machine. Same water for every load. Mother started with whites and ended with dark work clothes and rags or rugs. The two tubs of rinse water, one hot and one cold, had to be entered one piece at a time through a wringer and then into a basket to be carried out to the lines, where they were hung (artfully and modestly, I might add) so that neighbors need not blush at the sight of bloomers.

We remember family meals where everyone sat down at the table together. We all ate the same healthy menu cooked long and lovingly by Mother. If we ate the pot roast leftovers for three days running, it was because the meat market was a 40-minute walk from the house and Mother shopped only once a week, on Saturday. If we had ice cream for dessert, one of us kids had to jump up from the table and dash to the corner store. Ice boxes couldn't do the job.

And conversation

We remember walking to and from school, and the opportunity to develop friendships with neighboring kids that took the same route. And those family walks to visit local relatives or friends were cherished times to bind us as a family unit.

We remember that when we wanted to play with a neighbor, we went to his house and called out his name from the street. We didn't have to remember cell phone numbers. Instead, we invented secret codes and slyly sent messages to one another.

We remember the Ovaltine commercials on the radio. (Little Orphan Annie sent us a secret code when we sent in the seal from the top of the jar.) We were told that Ovaltine would keep kids from being too skinny. A real problem during the depression!

Questions to ponder

So do we seniors have any solutions to the energy crises? Probably not. But we do remember happy times in which the main source of energy was found in our own bodies. Life was simpler, of course, and we know we can't go back. But we do have some questions to ponder.

Why do kids need a ride to school on nice days?

Why do we run the dryer on beautiful days and use scented rinses when Mother Nature offer the same results if we hung out the sheets?

Why do we continue to use plastic bags at the grocery store when one cloth bag can be reused?

Why do we use treadmills instead of walking to the store and pulling a wagonload of groceries home?

Why do we find our mailboxes stuffed with flyers and unwanted advertising and offers of credit when there is a paper shortage and too much credit already?

Saving the earth is everyone's problem. Everyone can and must help.

God help us.

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