This quarter I have a student doing their final
project in part on the racial disparity in our prison system. It’s an interesting topic, and I’m looking
forward to hearing his presentation.
Last week, I happened to come across a short article, which graphically
depicted the differences in drug use and arrests between African Americans and
Caucasians. You can check out the graphs
here: http://www.upworthy.com/black-and-white-people-use-drugs-at-a-similar-rate-thats-why-the-last-2-graphs-are-so-shocking?c=ufb1
In doing my research for this post, I found the
following additional statistics that made it even clearer that something is
really wrong with our current justice system. From different penalties for
certain drugs, to harsher sentences for certain people, it’s apparent that the
racial disparity is real and only getting worse. Consider the following:
·
African Americans are six
times more likely to be arrested than Caucasians.
·
1 in 3 African American males
can expect to be arrested at some point in their lifetime.
·
Five times as many Caucasians
use drugs compared to African Americans, yet African Americans are sent to
prison for drug offenses 10 times more often.
·
African Americans and
Hispanics were 58% of the prison system in 2008, but only 25 % of the U.S.
population.
·
African Americans serve
almost as much time in prison (58.7 months) for non-violent drug offenses than
Caucasians serve (61.7 months) for violent offenses.
So my question to you this week is, “What do
you think causes such a disparity? Are
police, prosecutors and judges all racists?
What can be done to change the system?”
You must answers all three questions for full credit. Answers are due no later than Wednesday,
August 13th, 2014
What causes this disparity is that no matter what century we are in there is still going to be racism. Alot of caucasions were taught by their ancestors that blacks are below them and that they have no right being equal to them. Caucasions, since the beginning like to have power and control over anyone they feel they can get away with. Many caucasions grew up watching their parents have hate towards black so it was installed in them as well to hate blacks and keep them down. Not all police and judges are racist, but alot of them are and alot of them give blacks an unfair penalty just so they could look good by cracking down on crime by getting blacks off of the streets and once again putting them in cages where they say we always belonged. Theres nothing that can be done about the system; all the system see is that they did the crime and they have to pay the time. Its 2014 and there is still hate. We were set free but still living in the white mans world doing what they say when they say and whenever they say. They keep liquor stores on every corner in the black neighborhoods to keep the blacks drunk and living low life to keep us from rising and being successful. But go into white neighborhoods, you have to drive a few miles just to find the next liquor store. Its sad this is still going on, not every white person is prejudice but the ones that are, are giving whites a bad name. Race does not exist, only the pigments of our skin. If they really want to get technical we all came from africa, from the same two people and in a small genetic form we all are related. So brothers of all colors unite put away your hate for one another and make a difference where it really counts and focus on the future of this world.
ReplyDeleteNo not all police officers are racist but it's as if the bad out weigh the good here. A lot only see a skin color and decide that the particular person HAD to commit the crime. it's sad but true. We talked a little bit about this same topic in Sociology and he posted a slid that said 'most crime victims are African American men under 25 and poor' 'offender likely 18-24 Caucasian males in poor inner-city areas'. Some of my classmates didn't understand this statistic because a previous slide said 'in 2008 per 100,000 African American men 3,161 are imprisoned.' The professor had to explain that not every Caucasian crime is accounted for or any other race for that matter. the same statics for 2008 had 487 Caucasian males and 1,200 Latino males. What causes the disparity? I wish I had a definite answer but in my opinion it's still all stemmed from slavery. That was real and not really that long ago. Racism is still going on from what someones parents or grandparents taught them growing up. So they play it out in their life and when they're given a gun and badge they use it to "clean up". I think only knowledge can help people I saw a video on facebook today saying not to judge people by what they wear or look like. That is only a portion of what needs to start happening.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say that prosecutors and judges are racist, but i would say that they are prejudice.They want to judge people the way they see fit.They are set in their ways with something and they dont change their minds. It's also not just white cops arresting minorities, black cops feel as though they have to be even more affirmative on minorities because they are believed to be using race as a reason to let people go. It doesn't stop with race either, a Cornell study shows that juries convict attractive people at a lesser rate than others. I would say having judges and cops take psychological tests to understand their psyche before appointing them positions should be done.
ReplyDeleteI think the disparity is that law (officers, judges, prosecutors, etc.) look for the bad or trouble in blacks because part of them are still racist. I think the Caucasian race wants to keep their people out of jail and put our people in for little to no reason to keep the stereotype alive. I honestly do think officers are racist because its happening often now where African-Americans are being shot and killed or arrested with no real reason. They get "in trouble" because an officer assumed they were doing something wrong, or they misjudged them, or mistaken them for another African-American. I think to help stop this we as African-Americans can show that we are mature, and powerful in a non violent way. We can prove that not all black males that walk down the street with a black hoodie on and not be violent. We can only show this is we are given a chance to but we have yet to have that chance. This is a sad world we live in.
ReplyDeleteThe disparity is racism will never go away. Just like war will never go away, and world peace will never come. I think very few law enforcers are actually racist but a lot of them are prejudice. Mainly towards blacks and Hispanics as a very close second. I mostly think this happens because of the bad stereotypes blacks and Hispanics have, and the fear that Caucasians will one day become the minority. I think a way to improve the system is give every single law enforcement a series of test to see why they really joined for and what their true goals are. If they fail then they should get fired. Is stuff like this that makes people start rebelling against cops and thats why you see them getting shot at or killed on the news and people have felt little sympathy for them. I think it will only get worse from here. In the end it will all be about survival
ReplyDeleteWhats causes the disparity is the stereotype between how people see the difference between them. Most likely you’ll see more African Americans on the side of the street selling drugs because their is a majority of them living in poverty and selling drugs is the only way to make money. But many Caucasians are the opposite and more likely to not be selling drugs are causing trouble, which shows in the statistics that they are more likely to get by without getting caught. I feel Police officers, prosecutors, and judges are somewhat racists, because if you see a group of African Americans chilling out on the side of the road, a police office might stop by to talk but its different from seeing a group of Caucasians on the side of the street hanging out. But this isn’t always a true statement, it would just depend on the area of location. For prosecutors and judges, I would think it would depend on the situation, how they see you. To change the system, I would show them that African Americans don’t always have to do the worst things in the wrong situations. Sometime they have to do what they have to do. Not all of the African Americans are the same.
ReplyDeleteWhat causes the disparity is that racism still does exist in our country and unfortunately it won't ever completely go away. I do believe some judges, police officers treat African Americans, other races too, differently than they would Caucasians because of the stereotype society has placed. It's sad to see that one is judged and predominately accused because someone of their race may have made a poor decision. Location and the area you are in does play a factor in how cops and judges treat a person. I agree that if a group of Caucasians were to be out on the street and a group of African Americans or even Mexicans were to be in a group next to them, cops wouldn't stop at the Caucasians first. The way it needs to be changed is that one shouldn't be shouldn't judge someone by their race. Everyone needs to grow up and fair. Sadly that won't happen and our society and our court systems will always be the same.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that African Americans are judged that way. I think it being portrayed in the media doesn't help, with movies about violence or homelessness, it's usually an African American family or people. Also in music, I don't hear too many Caucasians, though they're out there, rapping about drugs or the streets. It's become a stereotype, like blondes being dumb. I don't think ALL police, prosecutors and judges are racists, but I definitely believe there are some. I think policemen pull over African Americans for no reason, and automatically suspect something because of their race. As far as changing it, really, the only thing we can do is try to be better people. Don't rob places, don't join a gang, don't kill people, etc. Try to be a good person. The recent riots/robberies in St.Louis don't help the judgement. People setting the QuikTrip on fire, robbing stores, isn't exactly taking that idea out of people's heads. I think if that stuff keeps happening, then people will continue to think that way.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the cause of racial disparity? Unfortunately, most of the responses to this blog are the answer to that question. Assumptions that are being made based purely on one’s own beliefs. Everyone assumes that those with authority must be racist because of the choices they have to make against a person’s character. However, those who are making these assumptions never step back and examine their own thoughts and beliefs. Almost every comment to this post can be taken as racist and was by me a “Caucasian”. In order to make a change we need to ensure that everyone is being educated on the facts. If we continue to make decisions based on feelings nothing will ever change. Unless otherwise stated by each individual it is impossible for me to say if the police, prosecutors and judges are all racists. From a military stand point I feel that the police make their decisions based on fear fueled by statistics and their training. It is very easy to make a poor judgment when your training tells you to do so. Prosecutors and judges make their choices based on the facts that are presented to them and for some reason that is hard for many people in our society to accept.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason for this disparity is caused by racial stereotypes. I think most cops, prosecutors, and judges are racist and the numbers proves it. The only way to stop this is to educate people show them the statistics.
DeleteI think that all 3 questions can be summed up by a lack of knowledge. Knowledge of our past and how it is affecting our future. Knowledge that can only be obtained by first seeking out the truth and then acting on that truth. The racial disperity has always existed. There will always be that person who will put themselves above another regardless of race. The statistics that "show" the disperity can always be manipulated to show whatever the author wants it to say. The law will always be thought of as prejudice and racist. No matter who they are arresting, they will be called out for it regardless of how they actually feel. They are in a catch 22. They will always be fighting a lose-lose situtation. The system is far from being helpful or useful. There is very little that could be done without causing riots due to change. We all know that most people don't like change but by not dealing with what should or could change things for the better, we will continue to become stagnant and stale in the current system that we live with.
ReplyDeleteI think that ignorance and the way the media portrays race are both factors in what causes the disparity. In the news, they are always showing news stories however they want depending on the race of the person who the story is about. It seems like they do this just to keep stereotypes alive in society. It's wrong, but it happens.
ReplyDeleteAre police, prosecutors and judges all racists? No, not all police, prosecutors, and judges are all racist. Obviously some probably are, but saying they all are would just be adding to the problem of negative stereotypes, wouldn't it?
I think that it will take a long time to change this system, but if people just educate themselves instead of relying on media, they will realize that not all stereotypes are true and then maybe, just maybe, they will start to change their negative views of other people. This may take a generation or so for us to see real results, because the whole idea of Civil Rights and equality is still relatively new if you think about how long this country, and even the whole world, has been here. There are still many flaws in the system. It's not perfect and it will take a while to change things, but I think if people try hard enough, things will become more equal for everyone in the future.