<p>banana: "And who gets offered treatment instead of prison time in a lot of cases? Usually whites"</p>
<p>Oh man, that is so true!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Prisons are filled with African-American males, the majority of whom probably have a primary problem of addiction.</p>
<p>People who suffer from the disease of addiction are all discriminated against. People of color are even MORE discriminated aganst when they suffer from this illness. </p>
<p>The next time you see a homeless African American junkie walking down the street, know that his disease is THE EXACT SAME ILLNESS as the blonde-haired starlet that you read about in People magazine. She gets to go to Promises or Cirque Lodge, and he gets to do hard time.</p>
<p>If junkies get caught dealing or stealing, it is only because their disease was left to progress to that point. Addiction is always progressive, and it always affects the parts of the brain which control morals and decisionmaking. </p>
<p>When you have limited resources or come from a family which does, you are WAY less likely to go into treatment. I also believe that when most judges see a dark-skinned re-offender, they think he deserves prison instead of treatment. Just a gut feel.</p>