Final answer:
African Americans are the racial group most likely to be arrested for drug abuse violations, due to targeted racial profiling and systemic disparities in policing and the criminal justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The racial group more likely to be arrested for drug abuse violations is African Americans. Historical biases and systemic issues have resulted in aggressive and inequitable policing tactics, as seen through targeted racial profiling and the disproportionate patrolling of minority-inhabited neighborhoods. This has led to a significantly higher rate of drug-related arrests and convictions among Black and Hispanic communities compared to their Caucasian counterparts.
During the 1980s 'war on drugs,' policies such as mandatory minimum sentences and 'three strikes' laws further exacerbated the issue, with penalties for crack possession—a drug more prevalent among lower-income Black and Hispanic communities—far exceeding those for cocaine, which was more commonly used by White populations. As a result, incarceration rates for drug violations vastly increased, with African Americans being up to eight times more likely to be arrested for possession, leading to devastating social consequences, such as higher incarceration rates, an effect on income generation and voting rights, and perpetuating cycles of poverty.