Study data came from the Federal reports, 'Prisoners in State and Federal Institutions,' which have included statistics on the race of prisoners since 1978 and from North Carolina data between 1970 and 1980. Throughout the United States, blacks were found to be much more likely to be put in prison than whites. A portion of the higher imprisonment rates results from blacks being arrested more often, but some cannot be explained this way. In addition, the level of disproportion varies from State to State. Statistics show that black imprisonment may be more proportionate to black arrests in Southern States with large populations than in Northern States where fewer blacks live, perhaps contradicting theories that Southern States are hotbeds of racism. Data tables (Author abstract modified)