Preconceptions against Black Males in the Criminal Justice System

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“In every instance, the administration will use the tool that is most effective… and will make those bad decisions based on pragmatism, not ideology” (Criminal Justice System). In the following story, an African American man named Donte Booker was arrested for the sexual assault of a white female. Booker was arrested because he generally matched the vague description of the assailant, and was in the possession of a toy gun. A toy gun was stolen from the victim at the scene of the crime. Booker served fifteen years in prison. Once Booker was released on parole, he had the DNA of the assailant compared to his own, and it was not a match. An innocent man spent fifteen years of his life in prison for being misidentified because of his race.
“The Criminal Justice system has been associated with implicit bias” (Seattle University Law Review). The issue of African American males being arrested and convicted of crimes is a much greater issue than most might think. African American males are being arrested and convicted at a higher rate than the average White American male. African American males are prosecuted by the Criminal Justice system at a much higher rate than White American males.
Although not everyone agrees that African Americans are treated unfairly in the Criminal Justice system, there is proof. African American males are unfairly targeted by Law Enforcement. African American males also serve on average more time than the average White American male for the same types of crimes. African Americans are more commonly misidentified from eye witness accounts than white Americans. Race should not be taken into account when dealing with a crime inside of the criminal justice system.
African Americans are mor...

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...v. 2013 .
Fisanick, Christina. Crime and criminals: Opposing viewpoints. Detroit: Greenhaven P, 2010.
Smith, Robert J., and Justin D. Levinson. "Seattle University Law Review." "The Impact of Implicit Racial Bias on the Exercise of Prosecutorial Discretion" by Robert J. Smith and Justin D. Levinson. 2012. Seattle University School of Law. 13 Nov. 2013 .
"USDOJ: Criminal Justice System." USDOJ: Criminal Justice System. 13 Nov. 2013. United States Deepartnment of Justice. 13 Nov. 2013 . This website is updated daily.
Whisner, Mary. "Race in the Criminal Justice System." Law.washington.edu. 10 Oct. 2013. University of Washington School of Law. 13 Nov. 2013 .

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