The History of Crime and RaceThe historical definition of race was an unchallengeable and was a distinctive form, sharing distinct racial uniqueness such as establishment, disposition, and psychological abilities. These races were not conceived as being related with each other, but formed a chain of command of intrinsic value with the Europeans usually at the top.The late twentieth century is seeing a rise in racial conflict in the United States as well as on the universal stage in a broad-spectrum. This increase of abhorrence based on the differences between humans includes a concept that has come to be called anti-Semitism, which is defined normally as a detestation of Jewish people and the fundamentals of their culture. Such anti-Semitism has been manifest in the newly reunified Germany, where anti-Semitism is seen as especially treacherous given the chronological milieu in which these procedures seize place. The evidence within the anthropological literature seems to point to the Jews who do not fall into any definition of the term “race” when race is defined along anthropological or biological limits.Regrettably, it is this very similar race-based nationalism that is recurring in Germany, the United States, and other nations around the world these days that still influence race and crime. Acquaintance of the past and of the very temperament of individual life can be used to avoid a reliving of persecution on a mass scale. In the United States of America Black/White race relationships tend to endow with as a lightning rod for most issues pertaining to race. This is in large part due to our exclusive history. But changing away from this contracted focal point, to race relations in general, highlights a common issue – the role of those at the top of the racial pyramid: Whites and the perpetuation of global White dominance. The moment of awareness for many Whites that White Privilege exists is often a genuinely uncomfortable one. While the arrogance and sense of superiority that some experience is nothing more than a byproduct of racism and racial hierarchy. Yet, we all become heir to consciousness of this common order. In all era children turn four, they are sentient of race and racial stereotypes. White children come into an intellect of superiority, a confidence and conviction that they are the model and norms of society, that all others are unlike them which make them different, and that different is bad. Children of color learn that they are not the right color and that it is better to be White. Although most Whites are conscious of and could even give graphic representation of racial hierarchy – inserting Whites at the top, Asians following them, Latinos and Native Americans behind that, and Blacks at the foot – they infrequently suffer the pessimistic implications of race, and therefore, they hardly ever think about their decisions, belief, and events that may be based on their assumptions about race.The history of the United States is one in which people who are considered “white” have dominated the justice system; there were more white judges, lawyers, and prosecutors, which represented the legal system. In the 20th century was when a few more minorities started to be represented in the legal process of the justice system. Regardless of how many centuries there is a diverse population in the United States. There are many countries of origin that have remained an important aspect of a person’s identity in the United States. Though race is not a scientific term, it remains a powerful social influence regarding criminal investigations. Historical views returns to the encounters of African Americans under slavery Jim Crow laws and so many other discriminative acts.In addition, when examining crime and race one can have a long hypothetical correlation between the two. Race synonymously functions with crime. The relationship between race and crime has been a focus and concern among sociologists and criminologists since the beginning of the disciplines in America. There are many racial and ethnic minorities in the United States who have consistently been associated with higher rates of crimes. It would appear that since the beginning of time, most of the “crime groups” have been the newly immigrated populations in the United States. Many groups such as Hispanics and African Americans living in impoverished “ghetto” neighborhoods are subject to police attention, and are overly represented in court dockets, jail and prison, media reporting crime, and street crime victims. Despite the fact that with race and criminal research for the past decades some have ignored the connection with race and crime, nonetheless, there are also reasons to consider race difference by crime.The history of race and crime have shown concerns for racial profiling, for instance the police stops a motorist may be unfairly treated based on their race or cultural background. Profiling was a policing practice in many states such as New York and New Jersey because police were focusing on certain suspicious behavior, appearance, incidences likely to have criminal connections or a match to a crime patterns. There are existing statistics that found that males, especially the minority youths, were more commonly connected to crime and this caused police to pay much attention to this group. Police profiling is known to maximize the accuracy of the police work as well as their safety, it has been abused. The tendency to patrol high crime areas and neighborhoods, several are in or relatively close to minority residential areas, which led many to assume that the police were “profiling” blacks. In addition, a disproportionate of large number of young black males were been pulled over by police, and were accused of “driving while black” or what is know to be racial profiling. Colored individuals in the United States is lead to assume that many young men were pulled over and harrested because of the color of their skin, but not for any violation or criminal offense of the legal system. These cases of racial profiling and harassment continue to prevail throughout the 1990s. Figures cited from the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, stated those 7,083 youths younger than 18 were held in jails in 2004, and a total of 59% were blacks, 28% whites, and 11% Hispanics. Needless, to say the adults were charged much more severe.Roles Play in Race and Crime
For much of the 21st century crime have provided a vast amount racial divide in America. In recent history both the school system and the criminal justice system can now be considered an active cause of racial inequities. The paradox of race and crime persist and the disparities worsen. The roles and function of the justice system in a democratic society should include peacemaking, law enforcement and service, modeling styles of excellent behavior, equal education, but yet that is not so. There are reports that have built extensive results that indicate that black youth receive different treatment in the United States criminal juvenile justice system. In some reports to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice, majority of the states has reported data which proved the unbalanced trend of minority youth. Minority youth continues to be at a disadvantage in the justice system, when compared to whites because of the unequal treatment as it pertains to petitioning, detentions and dispositions.Inspiration in the Justice SystemThe past 50 years there have been court cases that inspired the civil rights movement, such as the due process reform movement and more. Minorities are no longer denied bail without legal representation. However, the past 30 years the criminal justice system has continue to focus on young African American males in inner city and low-income community. Studies have shown that the difference in communities where blacks and whites live, explain race and crime differences. Communities that are racially separated seem to have high concentrations of poverty. The junction poverty can with race and crime in certain community is part of the problem (The 2001 Current Population Survey report from the U.S. Census Bureau called “Poverty in the United States” says that in 2001, the poverty rate was 7.8 percent for non-Hispanic whites, 22.7 percent for blacks and 21.4 percent for Hispanic). It would appear that studies that analyzes racial profiling and crime, indicates that there is an extensive relationship between criminal violence and an area’s racial composition.In conclusion, a large body of information has been evident on race and crime and its effect at all stage in the criminal justice system, some find direct discrimination in the justice system while others find various variables as factors. Without a doubt there is compelling evidence that discrimination with race and crime continue to exist in the justice system today.
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