Black Men Incarceration- why are they incarcerated more than other races?
According to this paperwork, I am going to respond to the following subject; the reason as to why the black men between the ages of 25 to 29 are more likely to be in jail than are people of white or Latino descent, therefore, I am going to conduct an intensive research depicting the incidents of criminal prosecution, convictions, prison sentences, and time served by race and ethnicity for all three- African America, Hispanic, and White men. The factors associated with who gets involved in crime, and the consequences of this lot in the Criminal Justice System will also be discussed in this paperwork; not failing to mention the issue of inequality in the work place, whereby, I will be comparing the number of white judges, lawyers, and lawmakers with those who are African American.
According to the united justice department, in 2003 report, it indicated that a bigger portion of the blacks men are more likely to be behind bars as compared to the both the Hispanic and non Hispanic white men. Through a literature review, according to the United Bureau of Census conducted in 1999, it depicts that 33.1 percent of black children existed in unlimited scarcity. The report, the united Bureau of Census, went ahead in comparing the black children and the non white children, whereby, only 13.5 percent of white children were estimated to be living in poverty. It is a fact that some sensitive issues, such as poverty can drive someone to engage himself in misdeed, hence the reason why this issue about poverty should be addressed first before trying to solve the issue on crime. According to my stand, the poor lot is more likely to engage into crime than the well-to do lot, hence the reason why the black men are more likely to commit crime , since the blacks are poorer than the whites (Fukurai, 2003).
It is important to note that the rate of crime has increased resulting to the overcrowding of prisons today- an issue that has to be addressed before things get out of control. It is important to note that young black men, between the age of 25-29, are more likely to be in the process of starting a their own families or being in a complicated situation, whereby, the parents all totally dependent on them. As a result of this, so as to meet the needs of the new demands, they are forced to engage into felonies, since it is the cheap route of generating income- getting food on the table (McNamara, 2012). The lot, black men, is more likely to be unemployed or to be in a position of securing better paying jobs; as a result of poor education background- most of the black men are illiterate as compared to the non black men. It is; now, clear that the socioeconomic problems facing the black men plays a vital role in sending the majority of the black offenders into the prison.
Through a literature review, it is depicted that the offenders populations are mostly comprised by people of color who have been faced with harsh socioeconomic problems, for example, the black men are depicted as to have a redundancy rate twice as high as whites and poverty rates more than three times higher as compared to the non white men. As confirmed by statistics, it is important to note that the black men comprises of 30 percent of federal and 46 percent of the United States inhabitants (Fukurai, 2003). The Latinos, too, are depicted as having to go through rough time as compared to the white, whereby, results has it that the Latinos make up 28 percent of the federal, but 17 percent are state prisoners, since the issue on unemployment does not spare them, the Latinos, - they suffer unemployment rate practically as double as lofty as the whites and poverty rates almost three times higher. Literature review has it that a survey conducted in prison, whereby, the researchers were attempting to assess the offenders, so as to come up with accurate findings that could have forced the inmates engaging in criminal acts. After conducting the assessment, these were the findings; the preponderance of the inmate had not finished their high school program, 30 % lacked a profession, 45 % held a part time job, and about 70 percent of the prisoners expected less than fifteen thousand dollars a year. It is clear that crime and poverty are connected, hence the reason why something must be done to improve the well being of the blacks. It is, also, important to note that the blacks are more likely to be subjected to harassment by the law enforcement officers. As depicted by reports, the blacks are more likely to be harassed, in the name of being searched, by the law enforcement officers and the search may result to a swift ticket to prison as compared to the whites, hence resulting to the increase of black inmates in prisons. The practice of stopping, searching, and questioning a potential suspect is known as racial profiling- conducted by the law enforcement officers. Through a literature review, it is depicted that the black drivers have been unreasonably stopped for committing minor traffic offences as a pretest to look for drugs (Fukurai, 2003).
The information about the number of white judges, lawyers, and lawmakers as compared to the African America, in this profession, remains indefinable, but some statistics are available through the U.S. Census Bureau, and local bar and professional associations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is depicted that the African American combined with the Hispanic, in 1998, demonstration among lawyers was 7%, therefore, implying that the proportion of the African American lawyers is still significantly lower as compared in other professions. The African American has also been under represented in the law firms- it is estimated that in every 3000 lawyers, we have only 46 African American (McNamara, 2012). The active African American judges are also depicted as being few eras compared to the white judges- it is illustrated that the three quarter of the federal circuit courts currently have no African American jurist. Research has it that in Florida, seven out of every ten judges in the court scheme are depicted as being white men. It is, therefore, that this subject, structured inequality, could be sending more African American to jails as compared to white offenders, since the judges may tend to be lenient with white offenders than black offender who have committed similar crimes, hence resulting to more African American offenders behind bars. Measures have been implemented so as to solve this issue in the coming future, such as the implementation of the Lawyers For One America Program. The program urges the legal profession to enhance diversity within its ranks and open entrée to lawful services, particularly to communities of color, such as the African American society (McNamara, 2012).
The issue on drugs is also a reason as to why we have more black men living behind bars. As I said earlier in this paperwork that the black men are likely to be unemployed, hence resulting to drug commerce so as to make a living- making money the easy in order to meet their basic needs. Research has it that the majority of crimes committed in the U.S. soil are linked to drugs- they are drug connected. With the declaration of the war on drugs, in 1980, has played a vital role in increasing the number of black men inmates, since the black individuals are said to get involved in drug –related activities as compared to other group in the U.S. it has, therefore, led to the incarceration of the majority of the African Americans as a result of drug use. According to a literature review, the white, too, are involved in drug related cases, whereby, it is depicted that they sell as many drugs as the African Americans, but when it comes to prosecuting them, the white lot, they are less likely to be prosecuted as compared to the black men. The white men may end up being prosecuted, but the chances of being sent to prison are highly rare as compared to the African American, since they are more likely to be put on probation, hence the reason why we have a small population of white inmates living behind bars. It is also important to note that this lot of white men that is involved in drug commerce can afford decent legal representation as compared to the black men (McNamara, 2012). The black men, therefore, are not in a position of affording a lawyer as a result of their inferior income. It is a fact that the black men are on average less wealthy than whites. As a result of being underrepresented, the blacks are more likely to receive heavy penalties as compared to the white offenders. A study conducted by Moore, in 1984, depicted that the African Americans were substantially more likely to be sentenced to prison than whites- researchers also found out that race played a vital role in determining, whether a victim was to receive death penalty. The African American are depicting as getting longer sentences than the whites, meaning that the drug war has not been lenient, particularly, to the people of color.
It is important to note that the blacks, who were once incarcerated, face numerous challenges when trying to seek for an honest job to make a living- after being released; there are extreme fewer opportunities to find a profitable employment. Through a literature review, a man is depicted as asking the following question- would you employ a former felon. It is also depicted that the white men with criminal histories had a smooth life as compared to black men, therefore, making the former offenders, the black men, to adopt their old habits- drug commerce and abuse. It is important to note that the black men between the age of 25 and 29 are more likely to have been imprisoned during their early twenties, hence making their attempts of searching for a better job next to impossible- they end up accepting their old ways of living that once led them to imprisonment. It is now clear that there are higher rates at which the black men, between the age of 25 and 29 years, are incarcerated on drug charges as compared to the whites, thereby, raising a strong deduction of forbidden discrimination that could be countered only if the imbalance were vindicated.
It is important to note that we create instability within the Black society, by perpetuating a scheme that imprisons such a large proportion of the black male population, punishing them excessively as compared to other racial groups and stopping them from going directly after they have served their imprisonment term. Literature review has it that the history of slavery and racism has not yet been healed among the black community, and the history will continue to affect negatively the Black community until the appropriate solutions are set in motion, hence ending up with a feasible outcome- a better society for all regardless of their skin color (McNamara, 2012). The appropriate policies must be implemented so as to aid in solving this issue, whereby, the black men are more likely to be incarcerated. Education should be the key priority, according to my stand- the children from poor families should be provided with scholarships, so as to be in a position of assisting their families in future. It is a fact that educating the African American children would equip them fully with the skills demanded by the job market. The society should also not be reluctant in absorbing the African American society in the legal professions as long as they meet the qualifications, thereby, enhancing equality in the judicial process. The law enforcement officers must also have a warrant or request for consent from the suspects, before conducting an intensive search of illegal items such as drugs. It is important to note that the U.S. cannot achieve its utmost prospective by failing to consider the rights of all its citizens- everyone should be treated equally regardless of his or her skin color.
References
Fukurai, H., & Krooth, R. (2003).Race in the jury box: Affirmative action in jury selection.
Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
McNamara, R. (2012). Dimensions of crime as a social problem . Durham, N.C.: Carolina
Academic Press
