African-Americans and the Judicial System Essay - 1312 Words

The prison system exists as a form of formal punishment for persons of wrongdoing and serves as a secure dwelling to protect the public from persons who engage in illegal and or violent behavior. Minorities are the majority of the prison population. Because of possible ingrained stereotypes regarding racial groups and drug related criminal offenses there are an elevated number of minorities in United States prisons (Tamborini, Huang, Mastro, Nabashi-Nakahara, 2007, p. 342). Legal authorities and juries may show bias towards minority groups resulting in a disadvantage when it comes to charging those of the African-American race. African-Americans are generally more frequently targeted than Caucasians regarding drug related crimes.†¦show more content†¦Generally we want to approach decisions with placing ourselves in another’s shoes, however, seeing past how we view ourselves within our own racial group can again lead to stereotyping behavior. By eliminating race f rom the equation of reaching a conviction there is one less variable by which to stereotype an offender. Although this is not a fix all solution to judicial fairness it is an attempt at equal punishment for similar offenses. In an article â€Å"Playing the race card: Making salient in defense opening and closing statements,† outcomes for offenders of both black and white races were alike when no reference to race was mentioned throughout the deposition (Bucolo Cohn, 2010, p. 300). Thus, learned tendencies affect perceptions of particular groups and ideas throughout our lives regardless if we make a conscious effort to disregard them. When considering the socio economic status of all parties involved in the handling and distribution of drugs it becomes clear which group can be more easily targeted for crimes. According to Officer Moldes of the Austin, Texas Police Department, we can break down the distribution chain of cocaine into three main groups, the traffickers, distributors, and dealers. Traffickers are the wealthiest within the chain and purchase the product in pure form, powder cocaine. This group is the least suspicious, usually college educated and from a wealthy upbringing; typically Caucasian, andShow MoreRelatedAfrican American Male Enters The Criminal Judicial System, And A Generational Cycle Of Crime2127 Words   |  9 Pagesincarcerated African American males, in comparison to Hispanic and White males. It is believed that social interaction, area of residency, and social networks have major influence on the increasing crime and incarceration rates of African American males. A larger portion of White males hold more positions within the U.S. Judicial system than African American males who make up a larger population of prison inmates and less involvement in legislation. This coincides with data suggesting that African American’sRead MoreThe Civil Rights Act Of 1964 Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pages The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was significant to African Americans because the act ended segregation in public places and ended employment prejudice based on the pigment of skin, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or/and religion. The Act was one of the most momentous events to impact African Americans on the account of bringing equality to minorities on paper and giving them opportunities to voice their political and community concerns. However, there were unforeseen consequences that added toRead MoreAfrican Americans And The Criminal Justice System Essay1688 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many ways the criminal justice system plays a huge role in the discrimination aga inst all people of color. Mostly, there are a wide range of studies within the African American communities that expresses concern, prejudice, and even racial profiling in the criminal justice system pertaining to blacks. Judges, jurors, police officers, and even marriages are key roles of the societal disadvantages African Americans have. African Americans are even being arrested more than any other race inRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Punishment Of Execution Essay1708 Words   |  7 Pagesdeath penalty is founded on systematic racism, bias toward African Americans and preys upon the impoverished in America. This makes the death penalty an inexcusable form of punishment. The death penalty is systematically racist with studies showing African Americans having a stronger presence in our current judicial system than other minorities. The National Association of the Advancement of Colored People reports that â€Å"together African Americans and Hispanics comprised 58% all prisoners in 2008† (NAACP)Read MoreDiscrimination Based On The Colors Of One s Skin1678 Words   |  7 Pagesasked to choose between job candidates who presented identical resumes. The results of the experiment concluded that the African American candidates were more discriminated against. Race does not determine the skill level nor expertise of a person and this study exemplifies the common trend with the job markets in the United States. This graph shows the number of African American CEO’s Fortune 500 companies in comparison to other racial groups and it is clear that women of Caucasian descent dominateRead MoreVictims Of The American Criminal Justice System851 Words   |  4 Pagesorders directed by the United States Government. However, many follow the laws and become victims of the American Criminal Justice system. Hence, we have people who become victims of wrong convictions. Wrongful conviction is define as a person who is currently serving a sentence via incarceration for a crime they did not commit. After the discovery of innocence, the department of corrections system exonerates them. Moreover, wrongful convictions are prominent and the effects that comes with wrongfulRead MoreAnalysis Of Richard Wright s Native Son1652 Words   |  7 Pages Hypocrisy, the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one s own behavior does not conform. For far too long the American so ciety has fallen victim to the corruption and hypocrisy within the judicial system. This is something we notice particularly with African American males ever since the early 1900s have suffered the most when it comes to receiving justice. Richard Wright’s Native Son provides a beautiful example of the insidious effects of racism and theRead MoreIn Recent Decades, The Judicial Systems Failures And Shortcomings1409 Words   |  6 PagesIn recent decades, the Judicial Systems failures and shortcomings to proportionally represent minorities and women of our diverse nation has quickly become a controversial issue. â€Å"The United States is more diverse than ever, but its state judges are not. While we recognize that citizens are entitled to a jury of their peers who will be drawn from a pool that reflects the surrounding community, Americans who enter the courtroom often face a predictable presence on the bench: a white male† (Chase,Read MoreAfrican Americans And The Juve nile Justice System1248 Words   |  5 PagesRace and Sentencing It has been brought up that certain race and ethic affects a person’s sentencing. Many studies have addressed the question are African Americans treated more severely than similarly situated whites? (Mitchell, 2005). Observers had indeed noted that black defendants get more severe sentencing than white defendants do (Spohn, 1981). For many years’ social scientist has examined this theory and came up with three explanations, racial discrimination, Wealth discrimination, andRead MoreRegardless If Society Was Made Equal Or Not Do Cultural1589 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween Caucasian and black people. Trayvon Martin was an unarmed 17-year-old who was killed on February 26, 2012, which sparked national controversy all over the world. During this time our former president Barack Obama was newly elected and African Americans began to protest advertising the hashtag BLACKLIVESMATTER finding out that George Zimmerman received no charges. Lillian-Yvonne Bertram theme speaks on the cultural tensions and misunderstandings America has today. Of course, racism being the