Race and Crime
Sgt. Jerome Van Natta
UW Madison Police
Department
Introductions/Background
Police Officer for 17 years
Former Probation and Parole Agent
Former Group Home Counselor
Introductions/Background
1996 - LGBT Liaison Officer – UW Madison Police
1998 – Dane County Hate Crimes Task Force
(now known as STAJOH)
1996 and 1999 – LGBT and Hate Crimes
Pamphlets
2003 - IACP Civil Rights Awards
Introductions/Background
Continuing Involvement:
YWCA Racial Justice Award 2006
UWPD Training on Racial Profiling 2009
Ongoing Training Mission
Correctional System Statistics

7.3 Million people in the U.S. Correctional
System

Blacks are 4 times as likely as Whites to
be in the system

Blacks are 2.5 times as likely as Hispanics
to be in the system
Correctional System Statistics

One in 11 black adults was under
correctional supervision in 2007

Wisconsin’s rate has quadrupled over last
25 years

Wisconsin ranks 3rd in U.S. for racial
disparity in those under supervision
What Contributes to These
Disparities?

History

Income

Drugs

Crime
History of Discrimination
1700s 1787 –
1830 –
1870s –
1896 1913 -
Indian Land Thefts
Slavery constitutionally legal
Indian Removal Act
Jim Crow Laws
Segregation Legal
Alien Land Laws
History of Discrimination
1935 - New Deal Federal Housing and Loans
- FHA Redlining
1942 – Japanese Internment
1944 - GI Bill – Returning soldiers buy
homes (blacks not allowed)
1964 – Civil Rights Act & Affirmative Action
Median Family Income By Race
1947 - 2005
70,000
60,000
50,000
Black
White
Latino
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
1947 1967 1973 1979 1989 1995 2000 2005
History of Discrimination
1960s - Civil Unrest, Desegregation, Race
Riots
1965 – Vietnam War
1980s - Introduction of “Crack” Cocaine
Crack Cocaine Arrests
Hispanic
8%
Other
1%
White
9%
Black
White
Hispanic
Other
Black
82%
Prison and Jail Incarceration Rates,
2001
4500
4000
District of
Columbia
New Jersey
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
Conneticut
Minnesota
1000
500
0
Iowa
Wisconsin
White
Black
Ratio
Ratios: 28.92, 13.15, 12.77, 12.63, 11.63, 11.59
Crack Cocaine Defendants

African Americans 20% more likely to be sentenced to
prison than White Offenders

Between 1994 and 2003 average time served by Blacks
rose by 62% as opposed to 17% for Whites

African Americans will serve 58.7 months for drug
offenses

Whites will serve 61.7 months for violent offenses
Disparities in the Criminal Justice
System

“White Crime” vs. “Black Crime”

Differences between crime in black
communities and white communities.

Differences in arrest, prosecution,
sentencing, and supervision
Disparities in the Criminal Justice
System

Prisoner reintegration

Recidivism and re-offense

Failure to follow supervision rules
Resources
Professor Pamela Oliver PhD – UW
Madison
 www.ssc.wisc.edu/~oliver
The Sentencing Project (Research and
Advocacy for reform)
 www.sentencingproject.org
Resources
Justice Policy Institute
 www.justicepolicy.org/
Professor Ken Streit - UW Madison Law
School Frank J. Remington Center
 www.law.wisc.edu/fjr/
Resources
Madison Urban Ministries (MUM)
Returning Prisoner Reentry Simulation
Circles of Support
Restorative Justice

www.emum.org
YWCA of Madison
 www.ywcamadison.org
What Can You Do?

Start a dialogue

Be Aware – Be Knowledgeable

Watch Dogs for the system

Friends and family

Community groups
What can you do?

Be involved.

Read and educate yourself

Participate in your neighborhoods and
communities.
SERGEANT JEROME VAN NATTA
UW-MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT
265-6042
jevannat@wisc.edu