Black on black crime myth or fact is a controversial subject in many countries with contrasting black and white populations. The black on black crime is a concept where blacks commit crime against other blacks. Although people committing crime against own people have been there for centuries, the concept of blacks-on-black crime seems too common in the present times. There are supporting and opposing sides in this never-ending debate. The whites believe blacks have criminality behavior and are capable of anything including crime against other people including their own. On the other hand, the blacks believe the whites just exaggerate the concept of black-on-black because they fear the blacks’ masculinity. Whatever the case, it is evident the concept of black-on-black is full of myths and facts and distinguishing the facts from the myths is challenging. This paper will discuss the black-on-black concept with the objective of distinguishing the facts from the myths.
For many centuries, the whites believe the blacks are criminally inclined. According to Bowling and Phillips (2006), Queen Elizabeth One claimed the blacks were inferior, unintelligent, and criminally inclined during her reign. Since that time, the Whites tend to believe all blacks are criminals. Many black experts and authors believe the whites are always out to tarnish the name of the blacks. According to Bouie (2013), the black-on-black concept main objective is to discredit the black community. After all, the other races would not trust the blacks if they learn the blacks commit crimes among themselves. Bouie (2013) agree blacks commit crime among themselves but the exaggeration that comes with the black-on-black concept is too much. Statistics indicate crime rates are prevalent among all the major races in America, whites, Hispanics, blacks and Asians (Bouie, 2013).
In the quest to distinguish the myth from the facts on the black-on-black concept, Critchfield (2013) provides data showing crimes among the blacks and whites in the United States. According to Critchfield (2013), whites killed 86% of white victims while blacks killed 96% of black victims discrediting the myth that black-on-black crime is extremely bad. Critchfield (2013) proves the myth crime rates are on the increase by showing the data from the department of justice that indicates crime rates are on the decrease from 1991 to 2010. Another myth on the concept of black-on-black crime is that justice is equal among the whites and the blacks. Although blacks make a small population, they account for more stop and seizures as well as arrests (Critchfield, 2013). Police arrest blacks two to five times more compared to whites for abusing drugs yet only 18% of blacks are drug users compared to more than 35% of white drug users (Critchfield, 2013). Another black-on-black concept myth is crime is prevalent among the black community, but the reality is crime is among all races.
Although crime is common among all races, blacks are more likely to commit crimes compared to the other races. According to Boothe (2009), blacks are twice likely to commit crimes compared to the whites. Boothe asserts the blacks consistently make a large percentage of felony charges for decades now. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2011), blacks in the United States account for just 13% of the population, yet they are responsible for 59 percent of felony murders, 50% of murders resulting from arguments, 65% of drug related murders and 56 percent of gun-homicide murders. On the contrary, the whites make up more than 70% of the population, yet they are responsible for an average of 50 percent of murders (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011). The data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics clearly shows the blacks are somehow criminally inclined.
As such, there is no one to blame with the exaggerated black-on-black crime concept. If the data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics holds water without any form of injustices and assuming it has been the case for decades, then using the phrase black-on-black would be justifiable. However, it is evident there is form of injustice towards blacks in addition to misconceptions and prejudice. Using facts researched on would be the best way to approach the issue of black-on-black. Williams (2012) proposes the United States follow the action United Kingdom took in regards to the black-on-black concept. The United Kingdom government banned the useless and baseless use of the black-on-black concept in newspapers, magazines and credible print media. Black-on-black concept causes tension among the whites and blacks compromising the good relationship developed over the years, which could affect the productivity of the economy.
Black-on-black concept is an issue of concern in America today, which has been a mixture of myths and facts. Looking at the discussion above, each side of the debate holds water. Crime among blacks is higher to the other races. In addition, blacks are more than two times likely to commit crime. However, basing on the relations between whites and blacks since time immemorial, injustice towards blacks is possible. On the other hand, it is a myth that crime among blacks is bad and has been on the increase. Crime among blacks is almost the same as crime among whites and other races and crime has been on the decrease among all races in the last two decades. It is important for the government to limit the use of the black-on-black concept to maintain the improving harmonious relationship between whites and blacks because the use of the term is to some extent baseless.
References
Boothe, D. (2009). The Top 25 Things Black Folks Do That We Need to Stop!!! Memphis, T.N.: Full Surface Publishing.
Bouie, M. (2013). Exposing the myth of Black-On-Black Crime. Retrieved from http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/07/black_on_black_crime_exposing_the_myth.html
Bowling, B and Phillip, C. 2006. Young black people and the criminal justice system. Retrieved from http://www.kiyan.org/newsite/wp-content/uploads/TBPCJS.pdf
Bureau of Justice Statistics (2011). Homicide Trends in the United States, 1980-2008. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
Critchfield, S. (2013). 5 Black Crime myths: which ones do you believe? Retrieved from http://www.upworthy.com/5-black-crime-myths-which-ones-did-you-believe
Williams, E. (2012). `Black-on-black' red herring sustains false narrative. Journal-Gazette Ft. Wayne, Ind, A.13.
