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Activists Seek Parity for Blacks in Criminal Justice System

By Dana Boone 12/1/07

Khalid Abdar-Rashid tried to keep quiet.

He told the 10 people who met to brainstorm ways to reduce the number of African-Americans in Iowa prisons that he didn’t want to share his views because they were conservative.

But, then he really got to talking. The state has long studied the disproportionate number of blacks in prison, but [...]

Forum on black imprisonment seeks solutions

By Dana Boone 11/26/07

A forum on Thursday in Des Moines will seek solutions from the public on how to prevent African-Americans from filling Iowa’s prisons.

“The main thing is for people to have a voice in coming up with solutions in our community, as opposed to looking for leaders to come up with the answers or other people,” said [...]

Iowa’s High Black Prisoner Rate a “Scandal”

By Dana Boone 10/12/07

Iowa’s shame.

A slow genocide.

A scandal.

That’s how some people at a forum Thursday night described the disproportionate incarceration rate of African-Americans in Iowa prisons.

Nearly 100 people gathered at Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines to discuss the racial disparities plaguing Iowa’s criminal justice system and brainstorm solutions.

A sparse panel of experts faced a [...]

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