It seems to be a common thought around here that many of the minority groups choose a life of crime and that's where it all starts. More arrests. More prison. More poverty.
We certainly all have free will. Every last one of us. I won't argue that.
I do think the choices one has are shaped by your circumstances.
Imagine growing up with parents who are new immigrants. They have low paying jobs. You live in a rental property in a poor part of town surrounded by drug use and gangs. Perhaps you don't get to finish high school. Of course no chance at university. Your job prospects are slim at best. At this point selling drugs may look like a feasible option. This may lead to affiliation with a gang for protection.
Choose your own ending.
The point is, that when people cite prison statistics as a marker of underlying systemic problems, they're not implying that the police force or judicial system is targeting one group (despite how the media is portraying it, cops are trained to profile just like everyone else). It points to a bigger issue that needs fixing.
There is ample evidence that poverty and dire circumstances lead to crime. The factors that lead to poverty and inequity of opportunity are the issue here.
I'm sure someone will get on their self-righteous high horse and claim again that everyone makes their own choices and the sht sandwich their life has turned into is only their own fault. Before you do that, try and put yourself in the shoes of someone that hasn't grown up with the same good fortune. Many of the choices you'd think someone would make are not even be options.
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