According to the American Bureau of Justice, 49% of all prison inmates in the US are African American, yet this group makes up only 13% of the general population.

Hispanics account for 17% of the prison population, although they represent only 10% of the total population. Is this some kind of coincidence? Or could racism and the for-profit prison system in America have something to do with this imbalance? Most prison inmates are incarcerated for drug use, not drug sales. Investing in drug prevention and treatment programs would be a logical response. But building, owning and operating prison facilities is a profit making business in America and some people are lining their pockets with gold in the name of fighting crime. The real crime is the racial profiling that sees people of color being convicted and jailed at rates that simply do not mirror actual criminal activity across all socio-economic classes. Those who are most likely to be arrested and jailed are those who are least able to mount adequate legal defense (which is expensive and not guaranteed by law). America, a land of equal opportunity and equal rights?