Police Influence On Society Essay

Register to read the introduction… Minorities did not have any rights before Civil Rights were enacted and police often treated minorities brutally. “In 1963 Police brutality was a serious issue for African Americans” (Crenshaw, 2011). Many people, including police officers felt that they could treat Blacks any way they wanted, abuse was common place and went without punishment due to the Blacks having no rights. “Africans brought to America had no rights which the White man was bound to respect” (MacNamara, 2009). In the 1960’s, and before, the police force was made up solely of white males who frequently abused men and women of minority groups. The constant abuse and mistreatment of minorities caused a large number of individuals to grow to distrust and even hate the police. The white police officers were able to mistreat and abuse minorities without fear of reprimand. This harsh treatment and abuse from police throughout history has cause a high amount of distrust, fear, and doubt from the African American community. “For much of Black America,
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Social class also has an effect on the way that an individual is treated by the police. Individuals of lower social classes are generally viewed to be of the criminal type. Poorer neighborhoods generally have high crime rates and are more dangerous than upper class neighborhoods. “High rates of crime and violence in poor neighborhoods have been described by numerous scholars and journalists” (Bjerk, 2009). Individuals who love in wealthy neighborhoods are generally treated with respect by police due to not being viewed as the criminal type, also, lower crime rates in wealthy neighborhoods has an effect on the attitude of police toward wealthier individuals. “No one, it seems, is willing to discuss the role that class plays. There is a stunning and disproportionately large percentage of evidence that the very system is inherently racist” (Wright, 2013). The differences in the way that individuals of different social classes and races are treated by police only add to the suspicion and distrust of police by minority