The War on Marijuana in Black and White: Behind the D.C. Numbers

Black people in the District of Columbia were arrested for marijuana possession at eight times the rate of white people in 2010 (the most recent year for which figures are available), despite comparable marijuana usage rates, according to data compiled by the ACLU of the Nation’s Capital. These and other figures are illustrated in stark detail in a new report issued today, focusing on marijuana enforcement in the District. This release comes on the heels of a nationwide report, Marijuana in Black and White: Billions of Dollars Wasted on Racially Biased Arrests, released June 2 by the American Civil Liberties Union. A new webpage at the ACLU of the Nation’s Capital website features an interactive map of the District of Columbia showing every arrest for marijuana possession in 2010 by location, and showing the race, sex, and age of the person arrested.