at the university of mississippi was shut down after three members tied a noose around the statue of the school s first black student. it takes a moment where things come to a head for us to say something s going on. reporter: nyu professor and university of oklahoma alum charlton mcelwain says racial tensions on college camp yous aren t new and often don t get the attention they deserve. i really think that the problem is always there, and i think that part of the problem that folks on college campuses make administrators presidents and otherwise is to think that there s nothing going on and that these things kind of suddenly come out of the blue when in actuality they re there and folks are listening. and now people are watching across the country. what are the demands at university of missouri? several, abimmediate meeting with missouri governor jay nixon. they also want more access and influence into the election of the next university president.
diagnosis. how do you break out the problem to challenge it and change it. the urban institute has a new tool that shows how different policies could way to show how policies can alter the mass incarceration. it would reduce the prison population 7%. that s drugs. the topic that everyone has focused on. look at this. if we cut in half the sentences for those convicted of property crimes, look at what happens. that would remove and reduce the inmate population by 10%. you reduce the number of people behind bars for all nonviolent offenses america could cut the prison population by 23%. that s a lot of change. there s been a lot of movement here. is there political will to make any of this happen? joining us now, a very special guest brian a stevenson, founder and executive director of equal justice, nyu professor at the
incarceration. it shows if you cut in half the number of people sent to prison for those drug crimes. for those convicted of property crimes, look at what happens. that would remove and reduce the inmate population by 10%. you reduce the number of people behind bars for all nonviolent offenses america could cut the prison population by 23%. that s a lot of change. there s been a lot of movement here. is there political will to make any of this happen? joining us now, a very special guest brian a stevenson, founder and executive director of equal justice, nyu professor at the school of law and he went viral with 2 million views. an honor to have you here tonight. thank you. great to be with you. is there a political will on this issue now?
that s drugs. the topic that everyone has focused on. look at this. if we cut in half the sentences for those convicted of property crimes, look at what happens. that would remove and reduce the inmate population by 10%. you reduce the number of people behind bars for all nonviolent offenses america could cut the prison population by 23%. that s a lot of change. there s been a lot of movement here. is there political will to make any of this happen? joining us now, a very special guest brian a stevenson, founder and executive director of equal justice, nyu professor at the school of law and he went viral with 2 million views. an honor to have you here tonight. thank you. great to be with you. is there a political will on this issue now? i hope so. we are experiencing a political moment unlike anything we have seen in the last 40 years. i think it can t be stressed
when u.s. forces last went to iraq, myspace was the next big thing in social media. remember tom was everyone s friend. hey, tom. haven t seen you in a while. as president obama now contemplates action in that country again, the battle isn t only in iraq. it s online as well. sunni militants are coordinating a pretty astonishing social media offensive from wait toer to mobile apps. this week, they launched a youtube video that features british and australian fighters appealing to western muslims to join their jihad. nbc news hasn t independently verified that video, but it is causing waves. so how is social media reshaping the field of battle? clay is an nyu professor who specializes in these technology questions. clay, thank you for joining us.