The Disparity In Sentencing Amongst Minorities In Prison

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Recommended: Racial disparities in the US judicial system

Although some say the high disparity of minority to white prison sentences is due to repeat offenses by second and third time offenders, the disparity in the population between black and white Americans in the U.S. doesn't support the fact there are more minorities than whites in American prisons. The make- up of judges, juries and law enforcement officials in the judicial system are a factor. The high disparity amongst minorities in prison is due to the societal issues such as racial discrimination, racial inequality of lawmakers in the court system, and presumptive sentencing guidelines.

Racism in American society plays a part in the manner in which the judicial system operates. The American prison population is larger than at any time in the history of the penal system in the world.” Nearly half of the more than two million Americans behind bars are African Americans. These statistics are well known and frequently cited by white and black Americans; for many they define Black humanity”. (Ryan D. King, 2010) Since the end of slavery African Americans were believed to be prone to crime and in general a menace to American Society and are to blame for this disparity. While this minority population has broken the law and deserve retribution they are ultimately products of their environment. In a study conducted as early as the late 20’s concerning minority crime. Thorsten Sellin’s research in “The Negro criminal”; a statistical note (Sellin, 1928) put it in perspective. “the stigmatization of crime as “black” and the masking of crime among whites as isolated failure, was a practice of discriminatory views by a majority white population. “The practice of linking crime to blacks, as a racial group, but not whites, he conclu...

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... democratic process Shapes the Way America Punishes Offenders. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press.

Edelman, B. C. (2006). Racial prejudice, Jury Empathy,and sentencing in death penalty cases. New York , New York: LFB Scholary publishing LLC.

Mohammed, k. g. (07/2010). Condemnation of blackness. Cambridge, Mass USA: Harvard University press.

Rodriguez, N. (2003). Persistent offender law:Racial disparity, Patterned offenses, and unintended effects. New York ,New York: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC.

Ryan D. King, K. R. (2010). Demography of the Legal Proffession and Racial Disparities in Sentencing. Law & Society Review Vol. 44 No. 1, 1-32.

Tonry, M. H. (1997). sentencing Reform in Overcrowded Times. Cary, NC: Oxford University press.

Wu, J. (2011). Citizenship status, race , ethnicity and their effect on sentencing. El , Paso Texas: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC.

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