Part 2/12:
The speaker emphasizes the importance of data, referencing accurate incarceration figures to set the stage. Currently, in the U.S., approximately 1.13 million males and 82,000 females are incarcerated, spanning all races: around 328,000 white, 370,000 black, 258,000 Hispanic, and smaller numbers of Native American and Asian inmates. An important point made is the discrepancy between incarceration rates and population proportions—for example, Black Americans constitute roughly 13% of the population but are overrepresented in prisons.