Racial Disparities In The United States

Crime and Punishment have been the main symbols of the existing racial disparities in the United States for a long time now. In the earlier days, the criminal justice systems mostly entailed executions, prosecutorial and judicial prejudice, and chain-gang style penal practices. The judicial systems saw the minority groups being tried in all white court rooms by all-white juries. The highest number of offenders consisted of individuals from the black communities who were subjected to harsh punishments. Blacks who victimized the whites faced harsh and racially discriminative sentences. For instance, according to the American Sociological Association (ASA) (2007), out of the 455 executions which were carried out between 1930 and 1972, 405 individuals

Minorities still experience oppression from the time they are arrested up to the time they are sentenced, which includes capital punishment. Studies carried out in order to explain the differences in racial victimization and offending show that, violence and crime is highly facilitated by the lifestyle or routine activities that individuals engage in (ASA, 2007). the convergence of the minority groups, which mostly consist of the weak and informal communities has greatly motivated offenders and at the same time exposed various groups (including the minority) to the threat of being victimized. Scholars have explained causes of racial disparities as mainly, the high levels of inequalities. Inequalities have led to poverty among the minorities, leading to frustrations among the people, which later results in cases of

The blacks engage in crimes as it seems to be their only source of income. Those engage in criminal activities also desire to have order in their neighborhoods. This results to formation of closer ties between the criminals and the non-criminals based on residential stability and high home ownership rates. The residents in these neighborhoods are also most likely to prevent any efforts by law enforcers to curb the existing crimes amongst them. Boys and girls in the neighborhoods, especially the street oriented, lack hopes for the future and tend to live their lives on the edge. They display lack of fear at any turn of events, which eventually lands them in prison. However, these young people view prison as a place where they can harden themselves up and enhance their street reputations. The persistence racism, hopelessness and alienation of the minority groups are the main factors that constitute to the violence they engage in. The negative feelings exhibited by Whites towards the minority groups are fully confirmed by the high crime rates. This in turn also legitimizes the perception by the street oriented individuals towards the street rules. This vicious cycle continues entrenching attitudes among both sides. The result of all these is escalated violence, which claims victims from both