Racial disparities in drug enforcement do not track actual racial differences in drug behavior

Evidence

These facts and figures do not support the simple explanation that race differences in drug sanctions are due to differences in drug use or drug distribution. There are relatively consistent race differences in drug use and distribution, with White youth being more likely to be involved in drug use and distribution than Black youth, but among adults the direction of these differences reverses. The magnitudes of these differences, however, are much smaller and more consistent than the observed race differences in drug sanctions. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 1057

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 1057
• XREF: connects to: Crack cocaine sentencing disparity is racially discriminatory in practice — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 1231