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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Mass Incarceration and the Milwaukee Experiment

The US imprisons more people than China, Iran or Russia — with blacks serving more time, more often than anyone else. The death of unarmed black Americans at the hands of police officers has renewed attention to racial inequality in the criminal justice system.

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By Warren Olney • May 11, 2015 • 33m Listen

The US imprisons more people than China, Iran or Russia — with blacks serving more time, more often than anyone else. The death of unarmed black Americans at the hands of police officers has renewed attention to racial inequality in the criminal justice system. In Wisconsin, African Americans are 6% of the population and 37% of the prisoners -- but the DA in Milwaukee County is trying to change that. It turns out that prosecutors have more power than cops in determining who serves time and who doesn't. We hear about the role of race in the "crackdown on crime," which may become an issue in next year's presidential campaign.

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    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

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    Jenny Hamel

    KCRW

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    Christine Detz

    Producer, 'To the Point'

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    Benjamin Gottlieb

    Reporter, Fill-in Host

  • KCRW placeholder

    Jeffrey Toobin

    New Yorker magazine / CNN

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    John Chisholm

    Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office

  • KCRW placeholder

    Mark Earley

    Earley Legal Group

    NewsNationalPolitics
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