“Possession of marijuana is in the pocket. “The only possibility for these statistics to happen is for police to be stopping blacks more than whites,” Oliver said. The rate of using marijuana is similar between whites and blacks, University of Wisconsin-Madison sociology professor Pamela Oliver said. The same research found whites made up 12% of the arrests but 37% of the city’s population. The Milwaukee-based group defined “small scale” as possession of 25 grams or less of marijuana. In Milwaukee, blacks made up 72% of “small-scale” marijuana possession arrests but 39% of the population between 20, according to research by the Public Policy Forum, a nonprofit, independent research organization. In an analysis provided to the AP by nonprofit news organization Wisconsin Watch, in collaboration with Institute for Nonprofit News, data show that Blacks are at an increased risk for criminalization due to the existing laws concerning marijuana possession. Wisconsin saw a record breaking turnout during last year’s midterm elections, and now residents like Marlon Rockett are coming forward to clarify that it was Milwaukee County’s non-binding referendum on whether recreational use of marijuana should be legalized that inspired so many people to make it to the polls.Īccording to the Associated Press, 70% of Milwaukee County voters support the legalization of marijuana because, like much of the country, anti-cannabis laws that were previously in place seemed to disproportionately target Black residents.

Whisper app arrests 2019