1982
Reagan Announces War on Drugs
President Ronald Reagan officially announced his administration's War on Drugs in October 1982, continuing 'tough on crime' rhetoric that disproportionately targeted minority communities. This policy shift led to a massive increase in federal drug enforcement and prison populations, with Black and Latino …
Washington, DC, DC
African American
Incarceration & camps
Latino
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President Ronald Reagan officially announced his administration's War on Drugs in October 1982, continuing 'tough on crime' rhetoric that disproportionately targeted minority communities. This policy shift led to a massive increase in federal drug enforcement and prison populations, with Black and Latino communities facing significantly harsher penalties than white offenders for similar crimes [3]. The declaration set the stage for subsequent legislation that cemented racial disparities in the criminal justice system.