The Criminal Justice System Is Racist
In 2010 the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that African-Americans received 10% longer sentences than whites through the federal system for the same crimes (11 Facts About Racial Discrimination). The criminal justice system has created and perpetuated a racial hierarchy in the United States. Some Americans are unaware of mass incarceration numbers and racism that occurs in the criminal justice system. Also, African-Americans are criminalized and targeted because of their skin color. It is easy to see that the Criminal Justice System is racist and biased because of high minority incarceration rates, several instances of racial discrimination, and a lack of juries that include minority "peers." This …show more content…
Sentencing in the criminal justice system shows how racism operates. Skin color makes a huge difference. African Americans disproportionately receive more mandatory sentences compared to whites and the death penalty. “On average, black men spent almost 20 per cent more time in prison between December 2007 and September 2011. In addition, white men were more likely to serve sentences below the sentencing guidelines while black men were 25 percent less likely, according to the commission”(Duke). As you can see white people really don’t serve their full sentences, while black people are more likely to serve prison time. This shows that African-Americans are less valued by society because they are more likely to serve their full sentence compared to whites. But for some people they think white people serve longer sentences. Which isn’t true because “Black and Hispanic men are more likely to receive longer prison sentences than their white counterparts since the Supreme Court loosened federal sentencing rule “(Taylor). We can see that there was a rule that is loosened for white people. From all the injustice and biased practices the criminal justice system, African-Americans are going to prison and jail at a very high rate compared to whites. This an enormous rate that African-Americans are being in prison and jail for a longer sentence than whites because of racial sentencing. Another way that …show more content…
According to former BART Police officer Johannes Mehserle he "accidentally" shot Oscar Grant III. "A San Francisco civil jury today convicted Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter in 2010 and acquitted him of murder. He was released in 2011. The federal jury awarded no damages to the father of Oscar Grant III, killed by a single shot to the back from BART Officer Johannes Mehserle early on Jan. 1, 2009 in Oakland (McLaughlin). The Oscar Grant case shows this corruption by law enforcement. This was racially motivated. As you can see from the statement above by the civil jury favoring in the officer instead of Oscar Grant III. Even the video wasn 't enough to show that Oscar was an innocent man on the ground not doing anything. African-Americans are being shot for no reason. The Supreme Court stated, “…racial bias in sentencing, even if shown through credible statistical evidence, could not be challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment in the absence of conscious, discriminatory intent” (Alexander p.126). However, it is impossible to show that there was intent to discriminate against another. They focus only on personal racism, but not institutional racism, which often does not have intent. This case is racially motivated. It makes one wonder how different the outcome would have been if Grant was white. When an officer kills an African-American, the system is never fair in who they are
In 2010 the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that African-Americans received 10% longer sentences than whites through the federal system for the same crimes (11 Facts About Racial Discrimination). The criminal justice system has created and perpetuated a racial hierarchy in the United States. Some Americans are unaware of mass incarceration numbers and racism that occurs in the criminal justice system. Also, African-Americans are criminalized and targeted because of their skin color. It is easy to see that the Criminal Justice System is racist and biased because of high minority incarceration rates, several instances of racial discrimination, and a lack of juries that include minority "peers." This …show more content…
Sentencing in the criminal justice system shows how racism operates. Skin color makes a huge difference. African Americans disproportionately receive more mandatory sentences compared to whites and the death penalty. “On average, black men spent almost 20 per cent more time in prison between December 2007 and September 2011. In addition, white men were more likely to serve sentences below the sentencing guidelines while black men were 25 percent less likely, according to the commission”(Duke). As you can see white people really don’t serve their full sentences, while black people are more likely to serve prison time. This shows that African-Americans are less valued by society because they are more likely to serve their full sentence compared to whites. But for some people they think white people serve longer sentences. Which isn’t true because “Black and Hispanic men are more likely to receive longer prison sentences than their white counterparts since the Supreme Court loosened federal sentencing rule “(Taylor). We can see that there was a rule that is loosened for white people. From all the injustice and biased practices the criminal justice system, African-Americans are going to prison and jail at a very high rate compared to whites. This an enormous rate that African-Americans are being in prison and jail for a longer sentence than whites because of racial sentencing. Another way that …show more content…
According to former BART Police officer Johannes Mehserle he "accidentally" shot Oscar Grant III. "A San Francisco civil jury today convicted Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter in 2010 and acquitted him of murder. He was released in 2011. The federal jury awarded no damages to the father of Oscar Grant III, killed by a single shot to the back from BART Officer Johannes Mehserle early on Jan. 1, 2009 in Oakland (McLaughlin). The Oscar Grant case shows this corruption by law enforcement. This was racially motivated. As you can see from the statement above by the civil jury favoring in the officer instead of Oscar Grant III. Even the video wasn 't enough to show that Oscar was an innocent man on the ground not doing anything. African-Americans are being shot for no reason. The Supreme Court stated, “…racial bias in sentencing, even if shown through credible statistical evidence, could not be challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment in the absence of conscious, discriminatory intent” (Alexander p.126). However, it is impossible to show that there was intent to discriminate against another. They focus only on personal racism, but not institutional racism, which often does not have intent. This case is racially motivated. It makes one wonder how different the outcome would have been if Grant was white. When an officer kills an African-American, the system is never fair in who they are