By the debate’s end, both Butler and Ivey agreed that something must be done to curb massive incarceration, particularly in the case of low-income Blacks and Hispanics. They have at least one advocate on Capitol Hill, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who has called for a
Webb recently told a Senate panel that while African-Americans represent 12 percent of the U.S. population and 14 percent of monthly drug users, they represent 37 percent of those arrested on drug charges, 59 percent of those convicted on drug charges, and 74 percent of drug offenders sentenced to prison.
As solutions, Butler recommended better and more efficient social programs that focus on improving K-12 education, job training programs and life skills programs.
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