Essay about Racial Discrimination in the US Judicial System

Racial discrimination in the US judicial system has been a much studied subject. Within the past 15 years there have been several cases in our country that undisputedly point to law enforcement making decisions based solely on race. It is difficult to determine if these isolated incidents are a mirror of the system as a whole or products of individual free will. The fact that there are many different points in the court process where discrimination can happen is a main issue with trying to determine if any single group is favored in the judicial system. Statistically, 44% of the US prison population is black as of the 2000 US Census. The remainder population is made up of whites, Hispanics, and others. (1) But is this disproportional†¦show more content†¦In the 911 phone call recording, the neighbor states that she is unsure if an actual crime is being committed, but was slightly suspicious when she observed two males, possibly one Hispanic, â€Å"kind of had to barge i n† (5) to the 17th house on Ware Street. Crowley, who did not hear the initial 911 call, was instructed to investigate two suspicious persons barging into a home. When the sergeant arrived on scene, he observed a male standing inside the home. Crowley, inspired by his many years as an officer of the law, assumed that Gates could be one of the suspicious persons and began to question him and his reasons for being in the house. Gates became outraged, understandably, at being questioned by law enforcement on his right to be in his own house. At this point, with Gates’ outburst in response to Crowley’s questions, the officer attempted to deflate the situation to no avail. At the same time, Crowley still doubted this mans identity and explanations. Neither side trusted the other. (5) With the arrest of Gates, the seemingly harmless incident exploded into a national controversy. Because of the location of the scene, a predominantly white neighborhood, and the attitudes of both Gates and Crowley as the situation progressed, a simple misunderstanding turned into a racially charged showdown. Gates was later released and all charges were dropped. In this particular incident, one can appreciate how a simple investigation can escalateShow MoreRelatedThe Prejudice Towards Black Men852 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows us the prejudice towards black men in the American judicial system. Since the 1930s, the injustice towards black men and woman has not improved. In the United States, over 2,3 million people are incarcerated and one-third black babies will be incarcerated, (Stevenson, P.15). To change this, we need to implement change now. Our society needs to change before the next Tom Robinson is sentenced without a fair trial. The town of Maycomb was theRead MoreRace, Ethnicity And Gender1660 Words   |  7 Pages Diversity is increasing in the western countries rapidly, hence it leads to discrimination in race, ethnicity and gender. The question that arises is about fairness, appropriateness and equality between among races and ethnicities. The paper is focused determining whether offenders are discriminated because their race in parole decision making process. Parole is permanently or temporarily release from prison or from offender’s sentence. There are three types of parole releases: discretionary releaseRead MoreInstitutional Racism : An Excuse Or A Reality?1504 Words   |  7 Pageshas changed about racism, from our laws to our rights, the educational system, along with the justice system, serve as clear examples in revealing the negative effects of racism and discrimination that continue to heavily influence our nation. In the middle of the 1900s, law enforcement maintained a clearly racist perspective on those of color. Backed by the Jim Crow’s laws, the chances of racial profiling and discrimination were awfully high. Undoubtedly, there was a smaller sense of pity as itRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Blacker The Berry By Kendrick Lamar940 Words   |  4 PagesHave we let racism become a norm in our everyday lives? We turn a blind eye to racism that happens right in front of us. Categorizing people has become normal and if someone someone gets offended by the remarks someone makes of their race or ethnicity they are considered someone without humor. We are to blame for the everyday racism we see in the music, television, posters, etc because we see it as something normal. In the song â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† by Kendrick Lamar, Lamar calls himself the biggestRead MoreThe Constitutional Court Of The Constitution781 Words   |  4 Pagesand at the same time, the power to review the actions of tutela. Guardianship actions stand by violation of the fundamental rights of persons, judicial mechanism which entered into force with the new Constitution. In the case of actions of tutela his selection by the Constitutional Court is discretionary. The purpose of the Colombian constitutional system is materially comprehensive control allowing the defence and guarantee of the Basic Statute of the State, as well as the effectiveness of the rightsRead MoreRacism And Prejudice : Racial Profiling1078 Words   |  5 Pagespresent assure us that history once again repeat itself with no difference. Americans has become divided to an expectation of what an American is. It seems that there has not been any solution to racial profiling. Unconsciously criminal’s assumptions are being beaten, violated, and murder over the decades. According to Thandisiwe Chimurenga, NO DOUBT THE MURDER OF OSCAR GRANTS illustrates the importance of a white supremacist system that has been designed to oppress peop le by racial profiling by colorRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Illegal1563 Words   |  7 Pagesthat the states should not give itself the right to kill any human beings. Capital punishment is an inexcusable denial of civil rights and is inconsistent with the basic values of our democratic system. The death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair in practice. The death penalty system in the US is applied in an unfair and unjust manner against people, largely dependent on how much money they have, the skills of their attorneys, race of the victim and where the crime took place. Through litigationsRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Illegal1613 Words   |  7 Pagesthat the states should not give itself the right to kill any human beings. Capital punishment is an inexcusable denial of civil rights and is inconsistent with the basic values of our democratic system. The death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair in practice. The death penalty system in the US is applied in an unfair and unjust manner against people, largely dependent on how much money they have, the skills of their attorneys, race of the victim and where the crime took place. ThroughRead MoreSexism And Racism Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesAllison Price English 3 12 August 2017 MLA Sexism and Racism within the American Judicial System There is blatant sexism and racism within the American Judicial System shown by a lack of convictions and inconsistent sentencing. Despite many small steps forward towards equality, injustice and systemic racism still find their way into the cases and verdicts we hear on the news every day. The battle for racial and gender equality is a fight that’s been fought diligently for centuries and while stepsRead MoreIn Recent Decades, The Judicial Systems Failures And Shortcomings1409 Words   |  6 PagesIn recent decades, the Judicial Systems failures and shortcomings to proportionally represent minorities and women of our diverse nation has quickly become a controversial issue. â€Å"The United States is more diverse than ever, but its state judges are not. While we recognize that citizens are entitled to a jury of their peers who will be drawn from a pool that reflects the surrounding community, Americans who enter the courtroom often face a predictable presence on the bench: a white male† (Chase,