Diversity has become an important part of American culture. Differences in culture, gender, nationality, religion, and lifestyle are not only recognized in most aspects of society but celebrated and respected. Unfortunately, there is one area of society where diversity appears to be a hindrance instead of a resource: criminal justice. One of the goals of the criminal justice system is fair and equal application of criminal laws and punishment. Many news reports, articles, and research studies show that often times this goal is not met. Race especially seems to have a significance impact when it comes to how criminals are processed and punished. Research shows that minorities are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system …show more content…
Mr. Hunt was 19 years old at the time and after an appeal was convicted again by an all white jury of his peers. Even though there was no physical evidence that linked Mr. Hunt to the crime, he was sentenced to life in prison. Ten years later, DNA evidence cleared him of the crime but his appeals were still rejected. He was released from prison nine years later when investigators found the man that matched the DNA. That man has pled guilty to the murder of Deborah Sykes (“Darryl Hunt”, n.d.). There were numerous mistakes made during the investigation of this crime and although Mr. Hunt’s blood type was not a match for the DNA found at the scene of the crime, he was still convicted. While that fact could not be ignored today, it is still possible to prosecute cases like this without conclusive DNA evidence. According to Brand (2006), some jurisdictions do not have the resources to conduct DNA analysis. In addition, today’s jurors expect physical evidence and the absence of it raises reasonable doubt (Brand, 2006). Defendants may still be prosecuted based on other direct and circumstantial evidence such as a witnesses’ personal account. Either type of evidence may be used to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (“Circumstantial Evidence”, …show more content…
This theory is derived from racial discrimination against blacks combined with the injustices of slavery. Violence and crime appear to be an outward expression of grievances that black offenders feels toward their white victims (D’Alessio & Stolenzberg, 2009). The theory is one of many at the core of interracial crime research much of which is focused on trying to explain black on white crime. Yet despite the “deep seated animosity” felt by blacks towards white people, evidence shows that most crimes tend to be intraracial (D’Alessio & Stolenzberg, 2009). Tures (2014) reports that FBI data on killings in 2011 reveal that 2,640 African Americans were killed that year. In 193 cases, the perpetrator was white and in 2, 447 the perpetrator was black (Tures, 2014). During the course of research for this assignment, research on the topic of intraracial crime was found as far back as 1985. Perhaps people should have realized back in 1984 that most rapes and murders are committed by members of the same race. The information may have been available in 1984 but not as widespread as technology has enabled it to be today. But considering the history of race relations in the U.S., bigotry probably played a role as well. The following scenarios revisit the Daryl Hunt case as it might have been handled in this day and time.
The criminal justice system is a set of organizations and procedures set up by governments to control wrongdoing and force punishments on the individuals who disregard the laws. The main frameworks are state and federal. The state criminal justice systems handle wrongdoings perpetrated inside their state limits and government, the federal criminal system handles violations carried out on federal property or in more than one state. This system is supposed to be equal yet the nature of offenses, differential policing policies and practices, sentencing laws and biases are possible contributors to disparities in the system. The severity of the offense, prior record, age and education level are also taking into account when a decision is being made. Our prison system today varies immensely with ascending numbers of minority groups jailed within the system. Racial and ethnic imbalances continue in the United States and no disparity is more evident than that found in the criminal justice system. Disparity usually refers to a difference that is unfair, disparity in the criminal justice system stems from racial disparity which concludes that the proportion of a racial ethnic group within the control of the system is greater than the population of that group outside that control.
With the increase of diversity in the country, comes a wide variety of issues facing all sectors. In the criminal justice sector we see issues such as racial profiling, discrimination amongst others.
jim crowAlthough Media reports that blacks commit most of the violent crimes, the center that collects and research statistics shows in fact that black on black murder crimes has decreased significantly since the early 90 's and is in fact by great numbers below whites when it comes down to violent crimes being committed. The whole black on black crime is a political strategy, a gimmick and propaganda used by the Illuminati/Bohemian Media elites to control people thoughts using media mind control. Most people, whether White, Black, Asian and Latino all have an idea, a mindset of who a criminal is and usually always the stereotypes of a criminal is associated to Black People. In America, Black people are 30-40% more likely to be exploited by the New World Order Society through a wide range of media outlets;commercials, movies, shows, reality shows, and music internationally. The
Racial inequality in the American criminal justice system has a strong effect of many realms of society such as the family life, and employment. Education and race seem to be the most decisive factors when deciding who goes to jail and what age cohort has the greatest percentage chance of incarceration. Going to prison no longer affects just the individual who committed the crime. Instead, the family and community left behind gain a new burden by one individual's actions. The United States still has a large disparity between Whites and Blacks and now a growing Hispanic population. This racial disparity in the educational
Diversity in law enforcement has grown to become a hot topic within the law enforcement community. The demographic of society has changed dramatically over the last 20 years and with that law enforcement has been changing, but have they been changing enough? Different law enforcement agencies have their own ways of implementing diversity in their practices and procedures, some of them are better than others, but with issues that happen today it is important that they do something.
There is a large racial disparity with unjust arrests in America. African Americans are discriminated and racially profiled more than any other race within the criminal justice system (Slate, 2015). The main goals of the criminal justice system are to prevent and control crime and to achieve justice (Crime&Justice International, 1997). However, according to the ‘American Progress’, “people of color, particularly African Americans and Latinos are unfairly targeted by the police and face harsher prison sentences compared to other races, particularly white Americans (American Progress, 2015). Although the criminal justice is to provide equal justice to all of its citizens, African Americans tend to not receive the same justice. Specifically, African
Racial inequality is growing. Our criminal laws, while facially neutral, are enforced in a manner that is massively and pervasively biased. My research will examine the U.S. criminal justice policies and how it has the most adverse effect on minorities. According to the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, out of a total population of 1,976,019 incarcerated in adult facilities, 1,239,946 or 63 percent are
The intersection of racial dynamics with the criminal justice system is one of longstanding duration. In earlier times, courtrooms in many jurisdictions were comprised of all white decision-makers. Today, there is more diversity of leadership in the court system, but race still plays a critical role in many
In modern-day America the issue of racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is controversial because there is substantial evidence confirming both individual and systemic biases. While there is reason to believe that there are discriminatory elements at every step of the judicial process, this treatment will investigate and attempt to elucidate such elements in two of the most critical judicial junctures, criminal apprehension and prosecution.
The existence of racial disparity and structural inequality within the criminal justice system renders the concept of true justice for all unobtainable. The statistics of convictions and prison sentences by race definitely support the concept that discrimination is a problem in the justice system as well as the insignificantly number of minority judges and lawyers. There are a multitude of circumstances that influence these statistics according to the “Central Eight” criminogenic risk factors. The need for programs and methods to effectively deter those at risk individuals has never been greater and the lack of such programs is costing society in countless ways.
Few in this country would argue with the fact that the United States criminal justice system possesses discrepancies which adversely affect Blacks in this country. Numerous studies and articles have been composed on the many facets in which discrimination, or at least disparity, is obvious. Even whites are forced to admit that statistics indicate that the Black community is disproportionately affected by the American legal system. Controversy arises when the issue of possible causes of, and also solutions to, these variations are discussed. It’s not just black versus white, it is white versus white, and white versus oriental, whatever the case may be, and it is not justice. If we see patterns then the judges should have the authority to say something. Jury nullifications cannot be overturned regardless of the cause. Exclusionary rule, according to CULS (2010) – Prevents the government from using most evidence gathered in violation of U.S. Constitution; like unreasonable search and seizure (Fourth Amendment).
Policing and punishment in America is hardly colorblind. It is not a coincidence that minorities serve longer sentences, have higher arrest and conviction rates, face higher bail amounts, and are more often the victims of police use of deadly force than white citizens. When it comes to criminals, many people have a preconception of what a criminal is. Usually when people think of a criminal they picture a Black or Latino face. The thought of an Asian criminal is often related to Asian gangs. Interestingly enough, White people as a group are rarely associated with the thought of crime, even though they account for 70% of arrests and 40% of the prison population each year (Russel xiv). This seems to be
At the prosecution stage, African Americans are subject to racially biased charges and plea agreements (TLC, 2011). African Americans are less likely to have their charges dismissed or reduced or to receive any kind of alternate sentencing than their white counterparts (TLC, 2011). In the last stage, the finding of guilt and sentencing, the decisions of jurors may be affected by race (Toth et al, 2008) African Americans receive racially discriminatory sentences from judges (TLC, 2011). A New York study from 1990 to 1992 revealed one-third of minorities would have receive a lesser sentence if they were treated the same as white and there would have been a 5 percent decrease in African Americans sent to prison during that time period if they had received the same probation privileges (TLC, 2011). African Americans receive death sentences more than whites who have committed similar crimes (Toth et al, 2008). Because of the unfair treatment from the beginning to the end of the justice system there is an over represented amount of African Americans in prison (Toth et al, 2008). Some of the problems faced by African Americans in prison are gangs, racial preferences given to whites, and unfair treatment by prison guards (Toth et al, 2008).
There are many key issues impacting minorities and women in the criminal justice system . Sexism still exists in the United States. Sexism against women is shown in the media and indicates that sexism still pervades in our society. Another key issue is the overrepresentation and disparities among minorities in the criminal justice system. After the act of September 11, racial profiling and other acts of racial hate crimes suggests that racism occurs. Another key issue that indicates that racial disparities occur in the criminal justice system is the overrepresentation of minorities in the Juvenile Justice system.
Research shows that African Americans and Latinos have been the victims of racial profiling by the criminal justice system. African Americans and Latinos are at a higher risk of being arrested, prosecuted and sentenced that Whites. The main cause of racial disparities occurs because law enforcement agencies believe that African Americans and Latinos are at high risk of engaging in crime and violence. During prosecutions and court hearings, the jury and judges give harsher sentences to minority groups. As a result, minorities view the criminal justice system as unjust since it favors whites. This research paper reviews relevant literature to show white privileges and racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Additionally, the paper provides linkages between racial disparities in the United States criminal justice system and the law. In this regard, the main objective of the research paper is to give detailed insights on racial discriminations in the criminal justice system.