The United Stated of America is the most ethnically diverse nation in the world. We have experienced advances in technology, economic prosperity, and acceptance of others. However, these advances, acceptance, and prosperity are not evenly shared across society, as demonstrated by entire sections of American communities becoming marginalized. A central facet of this marginalization is the unequal treatment of Hispanics/Latinos which becomes apparent within the entirety of the American criminal justice system. Racial and ethnic biases are and have been evident within the Unites States court system, the criminal justice system and those charged with public safety. There is a constant theme regarding the treatment of Latino Americans in the U.S.,
…show more content…
Jose Luis Morin, a professor in the Latin American and Latino Studies Department at John Jay College in New York City, shows us that biases usually leads to believing that Latinos are more inclined to a life of crime. But, the facts, Morin said, show just the opposite Latinos are actually less likely to be involved in violent crime than any other racial or ethnic group, Morin said. The majority of imprisoned Latinos and Latinas are usually convicted of comparatively minor non-violent crimes and/or many are first-time offenders. In regards to Latinos and crime, there are many contradictions, myths, as well as realities, that can usually be traced to the history of discrimination, nativism, targeting, profiling, and the failure of the media to correct and clarify preconceived perceptions and misconceptions of the Latino people.
Morin outlined laws and public policies that negatively impact Latinos in the United States:
1. Felony disenfranchisement laws: which were enacted at the end of the Civil War, these laws basically exclude convicted felons from voting. Consequently, “a study of 10 states concluded that "Latinos have a disproportionately higher rate of disenfranchisement compared to their presence in the voting population (Morin, p.2).
Freese
Jose Luis Morin, a professor in the Latin American and Latino Studies Department at John Jay College in New York City, shows us that biases usually leads to believing that Latinos are more inclined to a life of crime. But, the facts, Morin said, show just the opposite Latinos are actually less likely to be involved in violent crime than any other racial or ethnic group, Morin said. The majority of imprisoned Latinos and Latinas are usually convicted of comparatively minor non-violent crimes and/or many are first-time offenders. In regards to Latinos and crime, there are many contradictions, myths, as well as realities, that can usually be traced to the history of discrimination, nativism, targeting, profiling, and the failure of the media to correct and clarify preconceived perceptions and misconceptions of the Latino people.
Morin outlined laws and public policies that negatively impact Latinos in the United States:
1. Felony disenfranchisement laws: which were enacted at the end of the Civil War, these laws basically exclude convicted felons from voting. Consequently, “a study of 10 states concluded that "Latinos have a disproportionately higher rate of disenfranchisement compared to their presence in the voting population (Morin, p.2).
Freese