Racial Discrimination In Prisons

Further more, between 1985 and 2009, the white male prison population increased by forty one percent and the Black and Asian community grew by an extortionate rate of one hundred and four percent and two hundred and sixty one retrospectively (Home Office 1986; MOJ, 2010). This figures are shocking as it should be in line with the rate of population growth in the UK but it is not; therefore suggesting forms of discrimination are taking place at some or all points of the CJS. There have also been many racial incidents that have taken place in prisons in which many have lead to fatality; the Zahid Mubarek case being infamous and it received huge media attention. Mubarek was a young Asian male in Felthams Young Offenders Unit and was beaten to

They also expressed that they were more likely to suffer abuse from colleagues rather than prisoners, which is extraordinary (Prison Reform Trust, 2006). This demonstrates that there needs to be a stronger awareness in the CJS through the use of adequate education in order to develop and change attitudes. A support network called RESPECT was founded in 2000 for those that work for the prison service from a minority ethnic background and half who experienced racism said they received no support from the network that was designed to support them (Prison Reform Trust, 2006). Even though, there are countless laws, charities and originations implemented to protect minority groups, discrimination still takes place. Therefore it implies that it is not serving its primary purpose of protecting minority groups; this may be because of lack of training or limited

There have been some key milestones over recent decades that have improved confidence and trust amongst minority ethnic communities such as changes in the police and the way it operates and the introduction of education and multi-culturalism within Britain. However, I do feel that BME Communities are still discriminated against by the CJS due to many failures involving lack of education, integration and inequalities that exist in society and institutions. The CJS may be seen as illegitimate, which can encourage BME groups to not comply with the law which can have catastrophic consequences (Tyler, 1990). Black minorities are especially over-represented in the CJS and despite many other explanations for this as discussed in this essay; discrimination unarguably must play some part, as the figures are extortionately unrepresentative across the whole spectrum of the CJS. It is also true to say that many other social groups also face discrimination within the CJS such as gender, social class or sexual orientation, which is a huge worry especially in today’s society where things are more socially accepted. Knowingly, those from a minority background continue to have a higher chance of being stop and searched than white