The Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American...

The Disparities among Minority Inmates American Prison System Objective The objective of this study is to examine the disparities that exist among minority inmates in the American Prison System. Introduction The National Council on Crime and Delinquency reports that of all arrests that 28% of arrests, 40% of all inmates held in jails and prisons, and 42% of the population on death row is comprised by 13% of the general population in the United States, which is specifically that of African Americans. While white individuals comprise 67% of the total population in the United States and 67% of all arrests only 40% of the inmates in local jails and state prisons are white individuals and only 56% of the population on death row are white individuals. This means that there is an overrepresentation of racial minorities in the criminal justice system of the United States. This is referred to as disproportionate minority contact or DMC. (Hartney and Vuong, 2009, p.1) I. Arrests of African Americans The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (2009) report states that African Americans were arrested at a rate 2.5 higher than were whites. In addition, African Americans are reported to have been arrested for violent and drug offenses at a rate 3.5 times higher than were whites for the same offenses. African Americans are reported to have been arrested more than 6 times the rate for white individuals for the crimes of murder, robbery, and gambling and wereShow MoreRelatedThe Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American Prison System1787 Words   |  8 PagesThe Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American Prison System Melvin Kenney ENG 122 Dr. Beckwith-Howard March 18, 2013 Is the system rigged for the majority, or for those that break the law? Why are minorities more likely to be incarcerated? Is it because of the lack of education and parental support, living in poverty, socially and behaviorally challenged? 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Over the past five decades, the disparity between races has widenedRead MoreClass And Race Disparities Among Sentencing1901 Words   |  8 PagesClass and Race Disparities among sentencing in same acts of crimes Denny Vongkhamchanh San Jose State University Sociology 100W Spring 2015 Class and Race disparities among sentencing in the same acts of crimes. Throughout our society, people often question the meaning of being an American. America is defined as the land of the free and home of the brave. Most people say America is a country where everyone is treated equally no mater what color of skin you are right? But who determinesRead MoreCriminal Justice Reform Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Flag is perhaps the most symbolic piece of art representing the United States; the 50 stars represent the 50 states; the colors symbolize valor, purity and justice; and the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies. 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Stated on Americanprogram.org â€Å" The SentencingRead MoreSan Francisco Is A Major City Of California And The United States782 Words   |  4 Pagesmajor issues that need to be addressed, specifically in their incarceration system. San Francisco has created a system where minorities are more susceptible to being imprisoned due to the city’s precarious handling of funds. The San Francisco prison system hosted 1,556 citizens in the year 2013.[1] During that exact year, 56% of those citizens incarcerated were of African American descent, in a city where African Americans make up a mere 6% of the total population.[1,2] Compare that to the city’sRead MoreBlack Americans Receive A Stricter Punishment Than White Americans Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesthugs and common criminals; these negative stereotypes demoralize men of color and allow society to believe and internalize this destructive thinking. The racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system are an indirect consequence of the portrayals of African American men that circulate in society. Because of racial disparities that occur in the United States it consequently threatens communities of color by â€Å"disenfranchising thousands by limiting voting rights and denying equal access The Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American... The Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American Prison System Melvin Kenney ENG 122 Dr. Beckwith-Howard March 18, 2013 Is the system rigged for the majority, or for those that break the law? Why are minorities more likely to be incarcerated? Is it because of the lack of education and parental support, living in poverty, socially and behaviorally challenged? Race-based differences in individual treatment are some of the most difficult challenges in American society today and these are particularly apparent in the arena of criminal justice. Racial disparity in the criminal justice system is widespread and it threatens to challenge the principle that our criminal justice system is fair, effective and†¦show more content†¦High minority male imprisonment contributes to high minority child poverty several years later. There are two main mechanisms for this. The first is lower family earnings, especially in two –parent household with little to no education. Poverty poses a serious challenge to a childs ability to succeed in school. Research has suggested that living in poverty in the early childhood years can lead to lower rates of school completion (Brooks-Gunn and Duncan, 1997). Further, growing up in poverty can negatively affect a childs physical health as well as his or her working memory, due to the chronic psychological stress of living in poverty (Evans and Schamberg 2009). According to Brooks Gunn and Duncan, some 18 percent of minority children under age 18 were living in poverty. The percentage of these minority children living in poverty ranged from 5 to 52 percent depending on race/ethnicity and living arrangement. The second is more complex: high minority male imprisonment is associated with a rise over time in the proportion of minority children living with mothers who have not graduated from high school. I go on to say, â€Å"That high school dropouts are overwhelming minority males, and disproportionately represented in our state and federal prison system. High school dropouts are far more likely than graduates to be unemployed and underemployed, they will earn less money than those that doShow MoreRelatedThe Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American Prison System2239 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿The Disparities among Minority Inmates American Prison System Objective The objective of this study is to examine the disparities that exist among minority inmates in the American Prison System. Introduction The National Council on Crime and Delinquency reports that of all arrests that 28% of arrests, 40% of all inmates held in jails and prisons, and 42% of the population on death row is comprised by 13% of the general population in the United States, which is specifically that of AfricanRead MoreThe Failure of the War on Drugs Essay1529 Words   |  7 Pagesjustice system. Many politicians and advocates of the policy claim that the War on Drugs is a necessary element to deter criminal behavior and reduce the crime rate. However, studies show that drug deterrent policies on possession and use have been inadequate and unsuccessful (Cole Gertz, 2013). Studies also show that the War on Drugs has not attained its objectives because the policy exhibits racial discrepancy as it has led to the disproportionate incarceration of Blacks and minorities. SpecificallyRead MoreDisparities in Prison Populations Essay910 Words   |  4 PagesDISPARITIES IN PRISON POPULATIONS Although we would like to believe the world is not as racially charged in 2013 as it was in the 1960s, a look in our penal system would show that minorities are still arrested and incarcerated at a higher rate than whites. The United States has experienced a rise in its prison population over the last 40 years and our incarceration rate is nearly 5 times higher than any other country. Even though 13% of the US population are African American males, they makeRead MoreRacial Disparities in the American Criminal Justice System: Essay1858 Words   |  8 PagesRacial Disparities in the American Criminal Justice System: Rates of Incarceration of Blacks vs. Whites No Equal Justice in the American Criminal Justice System Shawn Y. Williams Troy University-Fort Benning CJ 5571 Probation, Pardon, Parole Instructor’s: Dr. Ronald Craig April 28, 2007 Abstract Racial inequality is growing. Our criminal laws, while facially neutral, are enforced in a manner that is massively and pervasively biased. My research will examine the U.S. criminalRead MoreRacial Disparities2051 Words   |  9 PagesRacial Disparities in America’s Judicial System The mandatory imprisonment policies written for the judicial system are creating disparity of minority inmate population primarily due to non-violent drug crimes and the unjust mandatory minimum sentencing laws. America’s prisons are the most populated in the world, and they are disproportionately populated by minorities due to the set of mandatory imprisonment policies set in place. Over the past five decades, the disparity between races has widenedRead MoreClass And Race Disparities Among Sentencing1901 Words   |  8 PagesClass and Race Disparities among sentencing in same acts of crimes Denny Vongkhamchanh San Jose State University Sociology 100W Spring 2015 Class and Race disparities among sentencing in the same acts of crimes. Throughout our society, people often question the meaning of being an American. America is defined as the land of the free and home of the brave. Most people say America is a country where everyone is treated equally no mater what color of skin you are right? But who determinesRead MoreCriminal Justice Reform Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Flag is perhaps the most symbolic piece of art representing the United States; the 50 stars represent the 50 states; the colors symbolize valor, purity and justice; and the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies. But for some, these stripes also represent the 2.2 million people held in the American criminal justice system, moreover they represent the disproportionate rate that minorities in the U.S. are incarcerated. What some consider the greatest democracy in the world, is reallyRead MoreThe Sentencing Of African Americans1626 Words   |  7 Pages African Americans now constitute nearly 1 million of the total 2.3 millio n incarcerated; that is 60% of 30% of the African American population. African Americas are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites. â€Å"Between 6.6% and 7.5% of all black males ages 25 to 39 were imprisoned in 2011, which were the highest imprisonment rates among the measured sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age groups. (Carson, E. Ann, and Sabol, William J. 2011.) Stated on Americanprogram.org â€Å" The SentencingRead MoreSan Francisco Is A Major City Of California And The United States782 Words   |  4 Pagesmajor issues that need to be addressed, specifically in their incarceration system. San Francisco has created a system where minorities are more susceptible to being imprisoned due to the city’s precarious handling of funds. The San Francisco prison system hosted 1,556 citizens in the year 2013.[1] During that exact year, 56% of those citizens incarcerated were of African American descent, in a city where African Americans make up a mere 6% of the total population.[1,2] Compare that to the city’sRead MoreBlack Americans Receive A Stricter Punishment Than White Americans Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesthugs and common criminals; these negative stereotypes demoralize men of color and allow society to believe and internalize this destructive thinking. The racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system are an indirect consequence of the portrayals of African American men that circulate in society. Because of racial disparities that occur in the United States it consequently threatens communities of color by â€Å"disenfranchising thousands by limiting voting rights and denying equal access