Where Are the Largest Racial Disparities in Marijuana Possession Arrests in America?

Racial disparities within criminal justice have been at the forefront of the news recently. Between cases of police brutality and incarcerations for low-level drug crimes, the nation has turned its attention to the links between racism and criminal justice. According to the ACLU, Black people and white people use marijuana at roughly the same rates, but Black people are much more likely to be arrested for possession.

This visualization from Joselyn Law Firm outlines where the largest racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests occur in the United States.

Click below to zoom

The top of the graphic features a straight-forward choropleth map that indicates which U.S. states have the largest marijuana arrest racial disparities. Montana leads the nation, as Black people are 9.6 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. Coming in last is Colorado, where recreational marijuana is legal.

The next visualization utilizes a creative network mapping illustration to identify the states that are home to the 50 counties with the largest racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests. At the top is Pickens, GA, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. In Pickens, the marijuana possession arrest rate is 97.3 times higher for Black people. Ohio has the most cities on the list at 9, with Wisconsin and New York tied for second place with 6 cities each.

The bottom third of the graphic features a layered area chart displaying the 20 U.S. counties that have seen the largest increases in racial disparities in marijuana arrests between 2010-1028. The city topping the list is Carter, TN. In 2010, Black people were arrested on marijuana possession charges 1.3 times more, but that number jumped to 13.9 by 2018, leading to a 976.7% increase.

Which of these statistics is most surprising to you?