New Study Finds Racial Disparity in New Orleans’ Pot-Related Arrests

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A new study finds African-Americans are arrested far more than other groups for marijuana-related crimes in New Orleans, according to a July 11, 2016, article at NOLA.com.

The Vera Institute of Justice looked at police statistics from 2010 to 2015. The study’s authors found “racial disparity remains stubbornly high in the city’s police responses to marijuana-possession offenses.”

The study discovered 85 percent of those arrested for marijuana-related crimes other than distribution were African-American, despite a 2010 change in the law that allowed police officers leeway in addressing possession. The New Orleans population is 58.5 percent African-American.

Jon Wool, director of Vera’s New Orleans office, told NOLA.com, “On the policy and police practice side, we need to wrap our arms around why there is such disparity.”

The study’s authors also noted the impact on those arrested for marijuana-related offenses. “People may lose their jobs because they miss work … They need to find transportation and ensure child care during court appearances …,” they wrote.

A new law, effective June 2016, allows officers to give a court summons to those caught with less than 2.5 pounds of marijuana.

The staff byline designates content that has been written by a staff writer of MJINews.

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