"In terms of criminal victimization, blacks disproportionately commit and are victimized by violent crime" (Banks p. 67). This sentence from our text really sums up chapter 3 perfectly. My oral presentation is on disparity in the prisons and also capital punishment and based off the information I've collected sadly, the above sentence is true.
We all know the history, slavery and the horrific treatment of the black population. Even after the time of slavery there was segregation. Today, it seems as though there is still a huge amount of discrimination. I've found two arguments or explanation for the overwhelm difference in blacks and whites who are arrested, charged with committing a crime, and lastly put in prisons; 1) blacks commit more crime 2) the criminal justice system is racially discriminatory.
Both sides make good arguments yet there is more to this issue than just 1 or 2. After preparing my oral presentation I think it's a little of both. The question then becomes why do we have a racially corrupt criminal justice system and also why do blacks commit more crimes?
Unfortunately, I don't have the answer... some say racial profiling plays a large role. Others discuss the upbringing of said criminals and their environments. Each person is unique and different and with this type of complex and confusing discrimination its difficult to side with one argument or explain why.
There are some fascinating statistics in our textbook. Such as, as of 2009 there are 487 (per 100,000) white males in prisons and 3119 (per 100,000) black males in prison. That's 2632 (per 100,000) more black males in prison than white, an overwhelming difference.
Is it possible that slavery and segregation have caused the possible discrimination in our justice system? According to the text, "The debate about racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is unresolved..." (Banks p. 84).
Banks, C. (2013). Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.
I agree with your post. To answer your question, I personal don't think that neither slavery nor segregation has caused this discrimination in our justice system. Many black Americans may think or say that but let's look at our justice system. Our justice system is made up of rules and laws that could be twisted to fit the criminal act. It is intended to suppress and manipulate the individual in order to make them follow the rules of law and become a productive citizen according to the set standard. I an individual does not fit the norm or is a productive citizen, I feel as though they will become victim to this faulty criminal justice system.
ReplyDeleteKrystal after reading your blog I could not help but to support the argument that racial disparities become racial discrimination if people who are otherwise similar in their criminality are treated differently by the criminal justice system because of their race. With that being said, I find it a bit strange that African Americans account for 30% of all arrests while comprising around 12% of the population. But, just because people of color are arrested more often than whites does not mean they are more prone to crime. It is noteworthy I mention my personal opinion which I believe the number of minority arrest may be greater because police patrols are more heavily concentrated in residential areas where nonwhites live, areas where drug use may be more open and more likely to be spotted by police. (Great Blog) Fred…
ReplyDeleteKrystal: You have written a thought-provoking blog on racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. Professor Taylor
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