Black Americans Receive A Stricter Punishment Than White...

Without a doubt, black men in the United States continue to be excessively â€Å"incarcerated, policed, and sentenced to death at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts (Kerby 2).† Portrayals in the media have depicted black men as thugs and common criminals; these negative stereotypes demoralize men of color and allow society to believe and internalize this destructive thinking. The racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system are an indirect consequence of the portrayals of African American men that circulate in society. Because of racial disparities that occur in the United States it consequently threatens communities of color by â€Å"disenfranchising thousands by limiting voting rights and denying equal access to employment, housing, public benefits, and education to millions more (Kerby 2).† Two professors from the University of British Columbia and the University of Michigan Law School, M. Marit Rehavi and Sonja B. Starr recently conducted a study that confirms that Black Americans receive a stricter punishment than White Americans. According to the study â€Å"Black Americans receive almost sixty percent longer prison sentences than white Americans who committed the same crime (NewsOne 1).† Dr. Rehavi and Dr. Starr gathered their data from fifty-eight thousand federal criminal cases and determined that the sentences that Black people received varied significantly from those given White people (NewsOne 2). Assistant Professor of Economics Dr.Show MoreRelatedFelony Disenfranchisement And Its Effects On The State Of Residency843 Words   |  4 Pageson which convicted felons are not allowed to vote. The United States’ disenfranchisement law places drastic effects on felons in their state of residency by preventing them from voting. English colonists brought disenfranchisement to America as a punishment for felons’ criminal behavior. 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As of 2008, African Americans comprised 13% of the general population, yet made up 38% of prison and jail inmates. Latinos comprised 15% of the general population, and 19% of the prison and jail population. An African American male born in 2001 has a 32% chance of spending time in prison at some point in his life, compared to 17% for a Latino male and 6% for a white male. AfricanRead MoreJuvenile Justice System Based On Their Race, Gender, And Social Class Essay2585 Words   |  11 Pagesmore harshly than others due to aspects about themselves that are out of their control. 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The townspeople believe that her punishment should be to wear the letter A on her clothing so she and the town can remember her sin. Her daughter name is Pearl. Hester will not reveal with whom she had the affair with. The reverend named Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl, but he hides the