Abstract
The criminal justice system is not necessarily just and is particularly unfair towards Black Americans. The research shows that they face discrimination in every step of the justice system, from initial arrest to sentencing. Many peer-reviewed sources were analyzed in order to compile the evidence that supports that claim, and what follows is a summation of that research. This paper succinctly proves, using facts, that discrimination and racism still run rampant in the American justice system. These facts include an over 50% higher chance of being killed during an arrest, five times as likely to be incarcerated, three times as likely to be killed in custody, and 25% higher chance of the death penalty for the same crime as a White American. To change these statistics, an educational overhaul is called for - every child should grow up receiving education about bias and discrimination, and every job, but especially those in the justice system where discrimination can cause the most harm, should have required training and testing to lessen the amount of racially driven injustice.
Recommended Citation
Bessette, Chloe
(2023)
"The Perpetuation of Racial Inequalities in the Criminal Justice System,"
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science: Vol. 11
:
Iss.
2
, Article 3.
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/themis/vol11/iss2/3
