Racial inequality in the criminal justice system can be found on many different levels, from policies, to policing, down to the study of crime itself. This can be seen with the policies that are passes into law especially in regards to punitive measures. Non-Hispanic Whites are more likely to be in favor of punitive measures which will affect the overwhelmingly black prison population (Drakulich). The inequality within the polices becomes greater when one looks at the civil restrictions placed on ex-convicts, without the ability to vote on said polices the whites have a greater say in what will happen to the blacks that are imprisoned, exacerbating the racial inequality (Wheelock). With the prison population raising steadily since the 1970’s the number of blacks that are in imprisoned is disproportionate to the actual population of the United States. Meaning that young black men are eight times more likely to be imprisoned by time they are 30 years old than their white counterparts. This has led to the change in milestones experienced by young black males. Where white males will graduate high school, go on to college, start a career, and start families, black male lives are marked by arrests, court dates, and prison terms, many do not even finish high school, this …show more content…
The interviewers in their study were also asked to record what race they perceived the participants, this changed throughout the study in proportion to the incarceration rate of the individual. This shows not only that is race fluid but also that it can change over the course of one’s lifetime due to the institutions one comes in contact
Michelle alexander states in her book that “1 in every 14 black men was behind bars in 2006, compared with 1 in 106 white men” (61). The idea of incarceration, in this situation, mass incarceration is
This novel highlights the fact of the injustices people of color are faced with in everyday life. In the introduction of this book, Michelle Alexander highlights the criminal justice system and how rather than identifying people by their race, people of color are labeled as criminals. I believe the criminal justice system, racial caste, ideology, and global examples of racial caste are all connected to racial inequality. I feel that the race and criminal justice system are connected on the basis that people of color are seen as unequal when compared to Caucasians. In the reading the author provides good examples of how officers are well trained at defending against claims of racial bias in policing.
Disparities in the criminal justice system are in part a function of the interrelationship between race and class and reflect the disadvantages faced by low-income defendants. This can be seen most prominently in regard to the quality of defense
Abstract This argumentative essay addresses the research question, "What are the root causes of racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and what policy solutions have been proposed to address them?", it explores the root causes of racial disparities in the criminal justice system in the United States and the policy solutions that have been proposed to address them. The essay argues that systemic racism and implicit bias are the primary causes of racial disparities within the criminal justice system. Systemic racism is evident in racial profiling, discriminatory sentencing, and over-policing of communities of color. Implicit bias influences decision-making by police officers, judges, and juries, leading to more punitive decisions
Racism is something that is still ongoing and has even gotten worse in recent years. No matter what efforts are taken to try and get something to change, equal representation in the justice system is something we may never get. The justice system was and still is racist. From the racial profiling, harsher sentencing for people of color, and the over-representation of people of color in the criminal justice system. According to the NAACP “If Black and Hispanic people were incarcerated at the same rate as White people, prison and jail populations would decline by almost 40 percent.
Michelle Alexander, similarly, points out the same truth that African American men are targeted substantially by the criminal justice system due to the long history leading to racial bias and mass incarceration within her text “The New Jim Crow”. Both Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Michelle Alexander’s text exhibit the brutality and social injustice that the African American community experiences, which ultimately expedites the mass incarceration of African American men, reflecting the current flawed prison system in the U.S. The American prison system is flawed in numerous ways as both King and Alexander points out. A significant flaw that was identified is the injustice of specifically targeting African American men for crimes due to the racial stereotypes formed as a result of racial formation. Racial formation is the accumulation of racial identities and categories that are formed, reconstructed, and abrogated throughout history.
On September 26,2016 the first presidential debate commences between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. One of the topics that was extensively debated on was the Criminal Justice system and the issue of systemic racism in this country. Donald Trump took the stance of Law and Order in order to solve the issue that are prevalent in our society today. In contrast, Hillary Clinton approach was one of Criminal Justice Reform. By analyzing the candidate’s responses in relation to outside reliable sources we can the verify which running mate is truthful.
Is this the role of race in criminal justice system? Is it really designed to entrap, discriminate, arrest, and imprison a mass number of the minority. To be stereotyped and “tagged” as a criminal, degrades the young community and hinders their chances of progression.
Research Paper Draft Over the last past decades, the rate of incarcerations for minority has risen at an unprecedented rate (Warren, Gelb, Horowitz & Riordan, 2008).Criminals of difference races, sexes, or socioeconomic status receive different sentences for same crimes. The United States now incarcerates more than 1 out of 100 American adults. The United States holds the record for both prison population size and percentage of citizens in prison (Warren, Gelb, Horowitz & Riordan, 2008). American prisons do have a disparate number of minority inmates in their populations.
Coker gives great evidence that supports racial injustice in the criminal justice system. She discusses on the Supreme Court’s rulings and accusations of racial preference in the system. This article is helpful because it supports my thesis on race playing a role on the system of criminal justice. Hurwitz, J., & Peffley, M. (1997). Public perceptions of race and crime: The role of racial stereotypes.
Over the decades, mass incarceration has become an important topic that people want to discuss due to the increasing number of mass incarceration. However, most of the people who are incarceration are people of color. This eventually leads to scholars concluding that there is a relationship between mass incarceration and the legacy of slavery. The reason is that people of color are the individuals who are overrepresented in prison compared to whites. If you think about it, slavery is over and African Americans are no longer mistreated; however, that is not the case as African Americans continue to face oppression from the government and police force.
It also suggests that black male with higher earning face more police target than other groups. The black males receive more police attention in compare to whites and has more arrested rate than whites. Also, the black receive harsh punishments and long sentences in jail than whites. The black group indulge
When one thinks of racism, images of slavery or 1960s Jim Crow South may come to mind. On the contrary, racism is still present today and possibly more rampant than most may realize. Racism is defined as "the generalized and final assigning of values to real or imaginary differences, to the accuser 's benefit and at his victim 's expense, in order to justify the former 's own privileges or aggression" (Memmi 173). Over the course of history, there has been major progress in terms racial equality. Unlike the previous century, non-white American citizens have access to the same rights and opportunities to vote, get an education, and pursue a career, as their white counterparts in accordance to today 's laws and Constitution.
and while race issues are still prevalent they have become better. Segregation is no longer widespread and common and while it can still happen it is usually unintentional. Criminal justice is the “new” way to target the minority races and segregate them from the white. Blacks are sentenced to 10% longer sentences than their white counterparts based on the same crime. 12.6% of the U.S. population is African American, but in prison they make up 37.1% of the inmate population.
Martin Luther King Jr. said in 1963, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” , however this dream only became half true. For there is racial inequality in the criminal justice systems. A study says that 7 in 10 african americans and 1 in 4 caucasians recall that African American males have a higher possibility of being incarcerated than a caucasian male. As for all the other ethnicities, they are racially profiled in the education system.