Racial Injustice in the Justice System

Racial injustice in a huge issue in this nation on a scale that is not comprehended by most. I have seen the justice system at work first hand and it does not seem to be a system that is set up to try and help people succeed. Through this experience, I was able to see the injustice that is carried out dependent upon race in the county. Specifically, how much more likely the black population is to face criminal changes then their white peers. The black population only make up 13% of the population of the country but they are 35% of the population in jail incarceration in the county. The statistics boil down to 1 out of every 3 black males will see jail time during their life. That is a staggering number that shows directly how much racial discrimination is still prevalent in the nation.

I looked further into where the discrimination is happening. I wanted to know if the court system is what is sending more black males to jail or is the actual policing. Now, there is discrimination in the courts but there is far more evidence that the issue is contained within the policing. Last year, black Americans composed 27% of all arrests, which is more than double their overall population in the country. Black youth only compose 15% of all youth in the country but they accounted for 35% of arrests last year. This shows just how much racial discrimination there is surrounding the policing system.

Sources:

https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2016/08/15/cjrace/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuYSCs7bn4gIVVyCtBh0CmQpiEAAYASAAEgKpOfD_BwE

https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/un-report-on-racial-disparities/

-Trenton Lundsten