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This book examines the interaction between race and the criminal justice system, highlighting the biases and disparities faced by minority youth. It explores issues such as racial profiling, disproportionate contact with police, and discrimination within the juvenile justice system. The goal is to separate fact from fiction and provide a comprehensive understanding of this complex topic.
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Department of Criminal Justice California State University - Bakersfield CRJU 330 Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice Dr. Abu-Lughod, Reem Ali Minority Youth and Crime
Introduction: • June 2001, Lionel Tate AA boy, 12 years when he killed a 6-year old family friend while demonstrating a wrestling move he had seen on T.V. Tried as an adult in Broward county, Fl. And convicted of first degree murder • Month later, 14 year old AA boy sentenced by Florida judge to 28 years without the possibility of parole. He shot and killed a 30 year old popular 7th grade teacher. He claimed it was an accident and he only meant to scare the teacher. Convicted of second degree murder • Controversial because prosecuting kids as adults.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN POLICE AND KIDS OF COLOR • Juveniles have high levels of contact with the police because out on streets • Poor juveniles more likely to be out on the streets because less opportunity for indoor recreation • Age and race play a role in favoritism • Attitudes. AA found to be more disrespectful towards the police than other racial groups
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM • Less formal and therefore more discretion, may be discriminatory • Since CJ officials are more concerned about rehabilitation than retribution they have discretion to decide whether to handle a case formally or informally • Since 1988, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act required states to determine whether the proportion of minorities in confinement exceeds their proportion in the general population
The Intake Process • Correctional supervision • Juveniles of color especially AA face a higher risk of victimization than white juveniles for property crimes, violent crimes, and homicide • In general Whites constitute the majority of juvenile offenders for most crimes. Exceptions (among the most serious index offenses) are robbery (AA make up more than half), and murder and nonnegligent manslaughter (AA make up nearly half) • Whites are overrepresented for drug and alcohol offenses
CONCLUSION • There is no escape from the fact that there is racial bias in the CJ system • Misconceptions on the typical offender • Some argue that racial profiling. High rates of traffic stops of people of color is justified because it is believed that they are more likely to be involved in criminal activity, particularly drug trafficking
Authors struggle to prove that there is systematic discrimination but argue that there is contextual discrimination in the CJS • Goal of book is to separate fact from fiction and myth from reality • They are not arguing that systematic discrimination never existed, the before and after the civil rights movement (pre 1960s) • Supreme Ct. rulings: protect human rights, selecting jurors form representative cross section of population, no searches without warrants, right to counsel, etc..
