Racial in our crime and punishment system had been a huge concern for many years. The crime and punishment system are geared toward racism. There are reasons that the existence of racism is a concern for punishment and crime. In the United States, there are more black people incarcerated in the prison system than there are white people. It is a proven fact that the legal action against drugs is focused merely on African American individuals. This is due to the policy that concerns the drug war, epidemic in the country. The policy states that it is better to focus on one large number of individuals of the same race. It is also a known fact that black individuals serve a longer term of incarceration than white people do for the same crime. White people receive a minimal sentencing and a black person may receive close to the maximum sentence.
Citizens have been concerned that the ability for police to stop and frisk will be used for racial profiling. In states like New York, there are many communities who are thinking the same thing. They feel that this gives the officers a chance to profile racial individuals. “It was concluded that approximately 90% of the people who were stopped by police were not told why they were being searched” . The same amount of individuals disclosed that they were never given a warning, violation, ticket, or anything after being stopped. It is possible that the stop and frisk ability have gone too far and is now being used to stop black people. This could be part of the war on drugs that has evolved around African Americans.
There is a law that is making its way through Congress that is supposed to deter racial profiling. The legal authorities, including law enforcement will be held accountable for the act of racial profiling. The new act that was put into motion prohibits any form of racial profiling at any level of the legal system. “The End Racial Profiling Act will also offer the financial ability for law enforcement to take training that will help them reduce using this type of profiling” . If this act continues to be passed and put into motion it may have a better impact on reducing racial profiling.
Work Cited
Brooks, Correll. "HE END RACIAL PROFILING ACT INTRODUCED IN BOTH THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE." NAACP (2016): 1-2. Web.
Heron, L. "Stop And Frisk Leads To Mistrust Of NYPD And Refusal To Cooperate With Cops, According To Study." The New York Times (2013): 1-3. Web.
