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Chapter 19

Chapter 19. Race, Ethnicity, and Corrections. Race, Ethnicity, and Corrections. The Concepts of Race and Ethnicity Visions of Race and Punishment The View of Differential Criminality The View of a Racist Criminal Justice System The View of a Racist Society Which is it Race or Racism?

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Chapter 19

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  1. Chapter 19 Race, Ethnicity, and Corrections

  2. Race, Ethnicity, and Corrections • The Concepts of Race and Ethnicity • Visions of Race and Punishment • The View of Differential Criminality • The View of a Racist Criminal Justice System • The View of a Racist Society • Which is it Race or Racism? • The Significance of Race and Punishment

  3. “race” • traditionally, a biologicalconcept used to distinguish humankind into categories related to skin color & other physical features

  4. “ethnicity” • concept used to distinguish people according to their culturalcharacteristics--language, religion, & group traditions • ethnicity can be used to further distinguish not only among white individuals, but among African Americans, as well. • it can also be used to even further subdivide Hispanics.

  5. “disparity” • the inequality of treatment of one group (compared to the treatment accorded other groups) by the criminal justice system • disparity may be based on legal (e.g., criminal record) or illegal, or improper, (e.g., race) grounds

  6. “discrimination” • differential treatment of groups without reference to an individual’s behavior or qualifications

  7. crime, race & ethnicity by the numbers • fact: men of color, especially, young men, are disproportionately locked up in U.S. prisons & jails, or otherwise under control of the criminal justice system in America: • 1/2 U.S. prison population is black • black men are 7 times more likely than whites to have been incarcerated at some time in prison • 1 in 3 black men in their 20s is under correctional supervision in U.S. • 56% of young black men in Baltimore… • 50% of black men 18-35 in D.C.

  8. Racial Disparity in State Prison Systems

  9. Explanations of racial disparity in criminal justice alternative views: why men of color are disproportionately represented in criminal justice system query: does disparity in criminal justice system amount to discrimination? differential criminality racist criminal justice system racist society they do more (serious) crimes, with more serious prior records, other characteristics warranting prison

  10. “self-report study” • an investigation of behavior (like criminal activity) based onsubjects’ responses to questions concerning their involvement in those activities

  11. Children in Poverty, by Race and Ethnicity

  12. Average Family Income , 2004

  13. “Myths in Corrections” • The Myth: The way families are affected by incarceration of young fathers is felt equally by all racial groups. • The Reality: Almost one in ten (9.3%) of all African American children had a father in prison or jail, and this compares with 3.5% of Hispanic children and 1.2% of white children.

  14. Explanations of racial disparity in criminal justice alternative views: why men of color are disproportionately represented in criminal justice system query: does disparity in criminal justice system amount to discrimination? differential criminality racist criminal justice system racist society they do more (serious) crimes, with more serious prior records, other characteristics warranting prison incremental decisions all across criminal justice system work to their disadvantage; but no obvious racism

  15. Explanations of racial disparity in criminal justice alternative views: why men of color are disproportionately represented in criminal justice system query: does disparity in criminal justice system amount to discrimination? differential criminality racist criminal justice system racist society they do more (serious) crimes, with more serious prior records, other characteristics warranting prison incremental decisions all across criminal justice system work to their disadvantage; but no obvious racism criminal justice system is simply a reflection of racism in American society

  16. evidence of broader racism • crack cocaine (used in greater proportion by inner-citypeople of color) is punished 100 times more severely (by federal sentencing guidelines) than its virtually identical white-powder equivalent (used in greater proportion by white offenders) • stronger association betweenunemployment rates & imprisonment rates than between crime rates & imprisonment rates • relationshipbetween racism & criminal justice system may be reciprocal, perpetuating minority status & criminality

  17. social significance of race and punishment • opportunity costs for minority individuals • cannot be earning a living • cannot be attending school • cannot be parenting • cannot be voting and partaking of “free” society • opportunity costs for minority communities • alienation of entire generation of young adults from involvement & commitment to larger society • social disruption, due to absence of major segment of its adult population • generalized suspicion of criminal justice system by major portion of society

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