ronburgundy
Contributor
Just to get it immediately out of the way, there is no way that a Biden presidency wouldn't be better than another 4 years of white supremacy enabling, explicitly pro-fascist policing Trump. I quite frankly can't imagine anything Biden could plausibly do to make himself even an equal let alone worse option.
That said, Biden's law-and-order legislation certainly has some major problems, especially his drug policies. There are lot's of criticisms of Biden regarding his legislative role in the incarceration of black people. Critics point to racial disparities in sentencing (about 2 months difference on 5-10 years sentences), and there are large racial disparities in incarnation rates.
However, even though it is still way too high, the incarceration rate of black men has declined 32% over the past 2 decades, and the racial disparity in rates has declined by 35%, though still massive.
It's even more dramatic for women. The incarceration rate for women has dropped about 60% since 2000, and the racial disparity cut by 75%.
So, how can Biden's legislation of 25 years ago be a main contributor to incarceration rate disparities that have drastically declined over the past 20 years?
Then there is the fact that he authored the Violence Against Women Act. Intimate partner violence has declined 75% since that legislation (based upon surveys of victims, so it's not just reduced willingness to press charges). And the rates at which black women are victimized by domestic violence are 50%-100% higher than for white women (largely due to SES). So, black women are especially helped by this legislation. Also, it means that some of the incarcerated men of all races are deservingly there b/c they are rapists and spouse-beaters. And while the higher rates of domestic violence by black men (even according to the anonymous victim reporting of their spouses) would produce higher incarceration rates for black men, that is a byproduct of the systemic economic problems producing SES differences and not a flaw in the crime legislation.
As I started by saying, I'm not denying that there is plenty to criticize Biden on regarding his crime bills (the crack-cocaine sentencing disparity being a glaring problem). But the overall effects of all his legislation on racial disparities and impact on black communities is far from clear cut, and some of it positive.
https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/incarcerated-women-and-girls/
That said, Biden's law-and-order legislation certainly has some major problems, especially his drug policies. There are lot's of criticisms of Biden regarding his legislative role in the incarceration of black people. Critics point to racial disparities in sentencing (about 2 months difference on 5-10 years sentences), and there are large racial disparities in incarnation rates.
However, even though it is still way too high, the incarceration rate of black men has declined 32% over the past 2 decades, and the racial disparity in rates has declined by 35%, though still massive.
It's even more dramatic for women. The incarceration rate for women has dropped about 60% since 2000, and the racial disparity cut by 75%.
So, how can Biden's legislation of 25 years ago be a main contributor to incarceration rate disparities that have drastically declined over the past 20 years?
Then there is the fact that he authored the Violence Against Women Act. Intimate partner violence has declined 75% since that legislation (based upon surveys of victims, so it's not just reduced willingness to press charges). And the rates at which black women are victimized by domestic violence are 50%-100% higher than for white women (largely due to SES). So, black women are especially helped by this legislation. Also, it means that some of the incarcerated men of all races are deservingly there b/c they are rapists and spouse-beaters. And while the higher rates of domestic violence by black men (even according to the anonymous victim reporting of their spouses) would produce higher incarceration rates for black men, that is a byproduct of the systemic economic problems producing SES differences and not a flaw in the crime legislation.
As I started by saying, I'm not denying that there is plenty to criticize Biden on regarding his crime bills (the crack-cocaine sentencing disparity being a glaring problem). But the overall effects of all his legislation on racial disparities and impact on black communities is far from clear cut, and some of it positive.
https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/incarcerated-women-and-girls/