Premium Essay

Disparity and Discrimination Paper

In: Other Topics

Submitted By ftowe
Words 763
Pages 4
Disparity and Discrimination Paper
Freddy Towe
CJS/221
May 9, 2016
Dr. Sheila Toppin

This paper will examine the definition of disparity and discrimination as it pertains to criminal justice. I will also give examples of each to illustrate what each means. I will say that in gathering data for this report I have found was quite surprising to me.

Disparity is defined as a large difference between two things. In criminal justice it can mean things like the difference between arrest rates between races. In 2010 there were seven million sixty-six thousand one hundred and fifty-four caucasian subjects arrested which equated to sixty-nine percent of all persons arrested. The same year two million eight hundred forty-six thousand eight hundred sixty-two african americans equating to twenty-eight percent. (FBI, 2011) This is a disparity in itself when you look at these numbers it shows forty-one more caucasians were arrested in 2010. However, when you look at the census records and the number of caucasians and african americans you see another disparity. The numbers flip when you look at the population ratios. What you find is seven percent of the total population of african americans compared to three percent of caucasians. Not exactly what I thought I would see. As this shows the same numbers shows a disparity in two different ways depending on what fact you are wanting to say. There are more caucasians arrested each year however there is a larger number of the african american population that is arrested each year.

Discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. As much as we want to say that this doesn’t happen today, the sad truth is it does. We see it in criminal justice every day at some degree from people unjustly blaming minorities for

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Disparity and Discrimination

...Disparity and discrimination paper Jesse Wilkie CJS/221 Frank Merenda 8/21/2015 Disparity and discrimination Within the criminal justice system there are various situations that take place. Nevertheless, the ones that are actually used include court procedures and law administration. Circumstances that will be deliberated on within this paper are disparity situations and discrimination situations. Depending on the situation, disparity can result in discrimination. Further included will be definitions, examples and comparing as well as contrasting of discrimination and disparity. The two factors referred to as legal and extralegal are the factors in which disparity consist of. These factors don’t essentially mean discrimination. Provided by the lawful factor are valid explanations for the judgments made on the person’s unlawful behavior and felonious record. An example of this would be once an individual is in court and the judge is determining the sentence or how much time that the person will have to serve based on the crime which could be murder, burglary, rape, etc. Another example would be an individual being arrested for breaking and entering or burglary based on their past unlawful history, and the fact that they were in the area where the crime took place at the time that...

Words: 988 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Disparity and Discrimintaion

...Disparity and Discrimination Ilka McCoy CJS/221 November 02, 2015 Ben Harm Disparity and Discrimination Disparity in criminal justice means inequity of arrests and sentencing for certain groups of people based on race, religion, color or sexual preference; it almost always refers to racial and ethnic disparity. Racial disparity has been definitively verified, though it may not always be related to intentional discrimination but due to the impact of the media and social networks this seems to be the main focus. Some of the stronger legal factors involved in racial disparity include severity of the offense and previous criminal record and personal history of the offender in question. Discrimination is an ugly factor of today's society, because it is the unfair treatment of one group opposed to another. For example one may dislike a person based on the color of their skin, sexuality or gender. In current situations that we have all witnessed in the media we have seen many incidents that involved white police officers and African American victims. I say victims because this is what has been presented to us by the media, and all we had for information was what was written in the paper or reported on T.V., there was no information that would show a timeline of the events that led to the situations. Recently in current events we have seen several cases in which white officers have been accused of using extreme force and in most cases the victims have been African American. The...

Words: 750 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Disparity and Discrimination

...Disparity and Discrimination 2 Disparity and DiscriminationThere are many different situations that occur within the criminal justice system. However, theones that are being used involve court procedures and law enforcement. The situations that will bediscussed are disparity and discrimination existing in the criminal justice system. In certain situationsdisparity can be a result of discrimination depending on the situation.There will be definitions, examples,comparison, and contrast of disparity and discrimination.The disparity consists of two factors, which are called legal and extralegal and they may notnecessarily mean discrimination. The legal factor provides legitimate base explanation for the decisionson the individual’s criminal behavior and criminal record. For example, in the court when deciding on thesentence or the amount of time that the individual will have to serve based on breaking law by murder, burglary, rape, etc. Another example, law enforcement arrest a person for burglary because of the person past criminal history, and the fact that they were not too far away from the scene of the crime.In addition, the extralegal factor includes lifestyle, gender, nationality, and class status, which arenot legitimate reasons to base decisions on. For example in the court, deciding whether to sentence theindividual or the amount of time that individual will have to be serve will not be based on their nationality, but on statics of that population and community, and appearance...

Words: 799 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Disparity and Discrimination

...Disparity and Discrimination There are many different situations that occur within the criminal justice system. However, the ones that are being used involve court procedures and law enforcement. The situations that will be discussed are disparity and discrimination existing in the criminal justice system. In certain situations disparity can be a result of discrimination depending on the situation. There will be definitions, examples, comparison, and contrast of disparity and discrimination. The disparity consists of two factors, which are called legal and extralegal and they may not necessarily mean discrimination. The legal factor provides legitimate base explanation for the decisions on the individual’s criminal behavior and criminal record. For example, in the court when deciding on the sentence or the amount of time that the individual will have to serve based on breaking law by murder, burglary, rape, etc. Another example, law enforcement arrest a person for burglary because of the person past criminal history, and the fact that they were not too far away from the scene of the crime. In addition, the extralegal factor includes lifestyle, gender, nationality, and class status, which are not legitimate reasons to base decisions on. For example in the court, deciding whether to sentence the individual or the amount of time that individual will have to be serve will not be based on their nationality, but on statics of that population and community, and appearance...

Words: 874 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Discrimination Nd Disparity

...1 Disparity and Discrimination By Jennifer Cruz CJS/221 8/7/15 Alan Hazen 2 Disparity and Discrimination In a prejudice world, it’s important to note the differences between disparity and discrimination, but especially when serving justice in the courts. Everyone regardless of color, sex, sexual orientation, race, and religion are entitled to fair treatment, but it doesn’t always happen that way. In this paper examples will be given of the unfair treatment towards certain race of people, and what the consequences of that treatment is. It will also explain a situation of which disparity exists, why, and how it all relates to the criminal justice field. Disparity Disparity is a situation which a particular group of people are involved. A good example would be the incarceration rate of black men, compared to any other race. Would is the cause of this? When looking at the statistics of disparity in crime, we learn many things. Who is effected the most, which race, class, or sex is most likely to be arrested, and then the next question is why? Why are black men more likely than men of other races to be incarcerated despite blacks making up only 13% of the population? And what can we do to make it fairer towards everyone regardless of what they are? These are important questions to ask when regarding race in the criminal justice field. Discrimination Discrimination is treatment that is different between different groups of people, such as religious groups, groups of...

Words: 761 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Desparity and Discrmination

...enforcement. The situations that will be discussed are disparity and discrimination existing in the criminal justice system. In certain situations disparity can be a result of discrimination depending on the situation. There will be definitions, examples, comparison, and contrast of disparity and discrimination.   Disparity consists of two factors, which are called legal and extralegal and they may not necessarily mean discrimination. The legal factor provides legitimate base explanation for the decisions on the individual’s criminal behavior and criminal record. For example, in the court when deciding on the sentence or the amount of time that the individual will have to serve based on breaking law by murder, burglary, rape, etc. Another example, law enforcement arrest a person for burglary because of the person past criminal history, and the fact that they were not too far away from the scene of the crime.   In addition, the extralegal factor includes lifestyle, gender, nationality, and class status, which are not legitimate reasons to base decisions on. For example in the court, deciding whether to sentence the individual or the amount of time that individual will have to be serve will not be based on their nationality, but on statics of that population and community, and appearance of the individual. According to Toensing , “The CERD report found “stark racial disparities” in the criminal justice system and “wide racial disparities in the areas of human rights violations, environmental...

Words: 837 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Disparity and Discrimination Essay

...Disparity and Discrimination Essay This paper will compare and contrast disparity and discrimination as they relate to the criminal justice system. The discussion will be supported with examples from law enforcement practices, court procedures, corrections populations. When you first look at discrimination and disparity one may believe they were similar but that is further from the truth. When people see a great number of blacks or Hispanics arrested for many drug related incidents it may seen discrimination had a lot to do with it whether it occur at the start of an arrest, during the justice procedure, or during the sentencing process. Although it seem very easy to come to that conclusion; it is vital that people have a receptive mine and look further for the reason of disparity instead of believing what they see from the exterior. The way to find out whether the case is disparity or discriminating is to investigate the whole case from the beginning to the end, and along with examination the population of that particular town. Maybe the truth will be revealed, do the justice system contribute or intentional discriminate or is it disparity without any form discrimination. The defining of disparity according to Schrantz and McElary (2000), racial disparity in the criminal justice system exists when the proportion of a racial/ethnic group within the control of the system is greater than the proportion of such groups in the general population. There are many cause of...

Words: 679 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice

...Society has shown racial diversity among communities. Racial disparity can be found in the criminal justice system. A system designed to be fair and equal to individuals is not existent. Racial diversity can be found at the time of arrest to the time of sentencing. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the diversity in sentencing. Case studies will be discussed throughout this paper. Leaders of criminal justice are not exempt of racial diversity. Racial diversity has changed over the years, but racial diversity remains strong in sentencing minorities. Diversity is not biased of offenses. Racial diversity can be seen in the smallest of charges, such as a traffic stop to the most serious sentence of the death penalty. Most of the sentences are because profiling an individual of minority. African Americans are likely to be the targeted racial group. Hispanic individuals are likely to be another racial group profiled for harsher sentencing. Racial disparity in the criminal justice system should always be considered a violation of ideas of the forefather’s of this nation as equal treatment under the laws of the United States Constitution. Many reasons for racial disparity can be identified in the sentencing process. The sentencing process is a difficult process, and adding racial bias may create a simpler way for criminal justice leaders to sentence an offender or make the sentence more difficult to decide. Racial discrimination is a large part of the United States history. Citizens...

Words: 1983 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Health

...Health Disparity as a Public Health Initiative A Public Health Initiative involves all the activities whose establishment points towards improving the present and forthcoming defines in the health sector. The significant aim of PHI encompasses from the provision of essentials that assists given countries to adhere to the practice of healthy policies. In the long run, it will in turn lead to the creation of various opportunities including research and training of health workers. One of the health initiatives involves the Health Disparity. There exists a broad discrimination in the event in which various patients receive health services. It, therefore, puts health disparity as one of the public health initiatives. In this regard, this paper discusses more health inequality and its relevance to the health sector (Barr, 2014). Health disparity is a standard issue in the present world. It is a matter that arises due to the distinctiveness in the ethnic background, the color difference of individuals and the even difference in the language spoken. However, in the event of finding a solution to the given disparity, there exist certain principles of economics for evaluating and assessing the need for health inequality. The first principle advocates for the equal treatment of everybody in need of medical attention. It is a principle whose aims majors in equity (Bayer, 2012). Regardless of an individual’s ethnic background, each and every person dwelling in the planet earth deserves...

Words: 1560 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Jury Selection Process

...Jury Selection Process Paper David L. Clay CJS/211 August 10, 2015 Johnny Cotton Jury Selection Process Paper In this paper we will discuss what the author in The Color of Justice: Race Ethnicity, and Crime in America refers to as the disparity “in the jury selection process”. In this paper we will address the processes and cases that have helped control the systematic discrimination of the court process, how the jury nullification is used in relation to diversity, as well as discussing the use of peremptory challenges to jury selection and the impact on the jury composition. In order to fully discuss these issues you must first know the definition of disparity. Disparity is defined as inequality were things are different or not equal. The disparity that is explained by the author is in reference to how African American and Mexican Americans were excluded from the process of jury selection but was found to be protected according to the Equal protection Clause in the 14th Amendment. It states that they cannot be prohibited from serving on a jury. In the beginning jury selection was geared toward white males only. The process of jury selection is usually compiled from two major sources of voter registration cards and driver’s license. One case that represents the control of the systematic discrimination is the case of the Scottsboro boys. Nine African American boys were accused of raping two white girls on a train. The boys were convicted of a capital offense. In...

Words: 679 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Racial Inequality In America

...During the late 20th century, America pursued the idea that what we look like and where we come from should not determine the benefits or burdens we carry in society (Jenkins). However, racial inequality in America is a significant factor for income, education, geographic disparity, economic security, political representation, political participation, and many more. The growing income inequality, decrease in geographic mobility, and the growing racial tension are all factors that inhibit racial unity. Income inequality refers to wealth distribution in an uneven manner among population, the growing gap between the rich and the poor (Inequality.org). Economic inequality has increased greatly in America causing the rich to get richer and the poor stay poor. This is a product of lost opportunities and equality across races and genders. Unequal starts in life, racial discrimination, gender discrimination, ability, time, and education are all factors that perpetrate the growing income...

Words: 454 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

An in-Depth Examination of Racial Disparity from Arrest to Incarceration

...An In-Depth Examination of Racial Disparity from Arrest to Incarceration ENG 122 English Composition II Prof. Ashton Schwarz September 13, 2014 An In-Depth Examination of Racial Disparity from Arrest to Incarceration The disparate number of minorities in prison populations is a concern for many who believe this disproportion is due to a systematic bias in the judicial system. While many factors may contribute to this overwhelming discrepancy, I contend that the disparate number of minority populations in prison is an accurate portrayal of how crime is committed in the United States. In order to understand the cause of this disparity, I will delve into the arrest rates and sentencing statistics that attempt to show why minorities are incarcerated at a higher rate, and why they're incarcerated for longer periods of time, than their white counterpart. These two focal points, arrest rates and sentencing statistics, I believe, are the best for gathering data, considering it is where the justice system both begins and ends. Though many may think that there is a racial bias concerning the disparate number of minorities in prison working against minorities, an article entitled, “Are Blacks and Hispanics Disproportionately Incarcerated Relative to Their Arrests?” provides impressive data to oppose this claim. This article boasts being one of the first studies to include the Hispanic ethnicity in their data, which other studies omitted from, or never incorporated into, their...

Words: 1676 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Racism

...righteousness and equality. But unfortunately racism has been a common practice in the criminal justice system. Racism is actually discrimination against a group or individual based on color, social and financial status. It is something that occurs more than we notice. Many scholars believe that racism play a more important role in targeting and sentencing process in the criminal justice system and this is something which should not happen in any country no matter what. In order to understand the role that racism plays in the criminal justice system we must, first, look at the role that it plays before the criminal reaches the day of sentencing in the court. There are various publications that speak on profiling and actuarial methods which unwillingly get people into the system. Though these are two major components of the discriminatory acts that exist within the criminal justice system, it does not actually begin with these institutionalized methods. It is the laws and crime control policies that create discrimination in the system. It has been witnessed that in some instances these laws and policies are set in favor of the white people and in opposition to the black ones. In this paper, a detailed discussion has been done on the racial disparities in criminal justice system along with its adverse effects to the community. Moreover, this paper also contains the strategies that would help to avoid racism and maintain equality and righteousness. What is meant by Racism and...

Words: 5548 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Patterns of Discrimination in Police Agencies

...Patterns of Discrimination in Police Agencies George Phillip CJS/221 October 13, 2015 LaTishia Wheaton Introduction Purpose Different Forms of Discrimination Patterns Discrimination refers to the arbitrary denial of opportunities, rights and privileges on the basis race, gender, sex and other aspects. Discrimination can be both legal and illegal depending on the situation. In a real-estate contract, for example, a land lord can legally discriminate against someone depending on the applicant’s situation. If the rent contract mentioned “NO PETS”, the landlord can deny the applicant and then turn around and accept an applicant with no pets. If the landlord on the other hand, refused rent to a female applicant because of her gender and gives rent to a male applicant, this type of discrimination is illegal. Discrimination is classified into individual discrimination, institutional discrimination and structural discrimination. In this paper, we will define each form of discrimination and compare them to see differences and similarities they have. In this paper, we will talk mainly about racial discrimination however, keep in mind all three forms of discrimination apply not only to race but also to gender, ethnicity, sexual preferences, religion marital status and other things. Institutional Discrimination Institutional Discrimination is defined as unjust and discriminatory mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals by society and its institutions as a whole...

Words: 1130 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Student

...| | | | | | Analyze the factors contributing to Gender Disparity in Education Name: Sonam Jamtsho SCM: 019421 Faculty of Education COURSEWORK COVER SHEET COURSE LECTURER’S COPY Name (According to NRIC/PassportSonam Jamtsho | NRIC/Passport NumberG037585 | SEGi Student ID019421 | Current SemesterJune | Name of Course LecturerDr Loh Wah Ching | Course Code | Course NameIntroduction to Education | Assignment Deadline10th July, 2012 | Date of Submission10th July, 2012 | I am submitting (please tick the appropriate box) Other (please specify)__________________ ____________________________________ CD Hardcopy document of ( ) pages | I confirm that this assignment is fully my own work. Student’s Signature: ___________________________________________ I have read and understood the University regulations on plagiarism and cheating as stated in the Student Handbook and declare that the assignment submitted does not breach those regulations. Collected by: ___________________________________________ Table of Content 1. Introduction…………………………………………………..(4) 2. Concept of Gender Disparity…………………………………(5-8) 3. Conclusion…………………………………………………….(9) 4. Reference………………………………………………………(10) Introduction As the world has recognized the importance of education...

Words: 1749 - Pages: 7