Minorities and Justice Essay - 1793 Words

Minorities and Justice Television shows such as Dateline, 60 Minutes and 20/20 have often aired segments on discrimination within the justice system through hidden cameras recording police behavior towards minorities, interviews with minorities falsely accused or mistreated, and by referring to capital punishment statistics seemingly biased especially towards blacks. The Justice Files has produced several biographies on minorities who were subjected to some atrocity by the American justice system. General interpretation of nationwide statistics seem to give the public the feeling that minorities are more likely to be incarcerated or subjected to capital punishment and more frequently experience racism by police officers, juries or†¦show more content†¦This has stemmed injustice from the thin blue line (Rodney King) to the Supreme Court (Plessy v. Ferguson). 4) Finally, minorities suffer from drug and alcohol abuse and other social disorders at a higher percentage than whites. Evidence of the di sproportionate percentage of minorities incarcerated is readily available. According to Katheryn Russell, author of Color of Crime, blacks make up 12% of the overall U.S. population. Yet they represent 30% of arrests and 50% of those incarcerated (28-29). The most amazing statistic comes from Marvin Free, Jr. whose research found that African Americans living in cities with a population of 250,000 or more have a 51% chance of being arrested (African Americans..., 8). Russell listed many of the ridiculous reasons minorities have been pulled over by police officers: 1) Driving a luxury car, 2) driving with a white woman, 3) driving in a white neighborhood, 4) driving late at night and several others. The reasoning behind many traffic stops of blacks were so ludicrous that Russell believed a new charge should be established: DWB or Driving While Black (Color...,33). Capital punishment also reflects racial disparity. Between 1977 and 1984, the state of Texas executed 13 Africa n Americans who wereShow MoreRelatedMinority Minorities And The Juvenile Justice System900 Words   |  4 PagesDisproportionate Minority Contact Minority children are exposed to the juvenile justice system at a higher percentage than their white peers. Minority children are over represented at every level of the judicial process. Minority children are more likely to be charged, detained, and confined. The proportion of minorities increases as each level becomes more restrictive. Research also indicates that minority children receive harsher treatment than Caucasian children do. Minority children are moreRead MoreMinorities and Women in Criminal Justice1064 Words   |  5 PagesThere 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. 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