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Discrimination In The Criminal Justice System Essay

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Discrimination In The Criminal Justice System Essay
Even though the criminal justice system has made tremendous progress in trying to address the issue of discrimination within its ranks, a lot remains to be desired. A keen analysis of the treatment of certain racial groups reveals that rather than recede, racial discrimination is indeed growing. Even though most criminal laws are facially neutral, the way they are enforced shows that they are pervasively and massively biased. The criminal justice system has struggled to free itself from historical injustices, and this has over the years threatened to undermine five decades of hard-fought progress relating to civil rights (Corsaro, 2015). Even though the vestiges of segregation were abolished by the civil rights laws, most people of color can …show more content…
For the system to be deemed, therefore, all processes must be transparent (Dinos, 2015). This should include initial investigation until the prosecution. Individuals who find themselves in similar circumstances should be accorded similar treatment, and this should be consistent with constitutional provisions governing equal treatment. African Americans are hardest hit by the discrimination, with most of them spending extended periods behind bars, thus affecting their prospects for gainful employment (Dunford, 2016). The criminal justice today continues to stray further from the ideal that ensures equal treatment. Through unfair treatment and disproportionate treatment, minorities continue to suffer at the hands of law enforcement officials through racially skewed plea bargaining decisions, as well as charges. Simply put, policy makers in the criminal justice system have failed to redress various inequalities, and this has led to discriminatory sentencing practices. Both guilty and innocent minority citizens are affected by racial disparities. Compared to Whites, Blacks are more likely to be stopped in their cars or the streets (Gooding, 2016). It must be noted that even though certain civil rights are surrendered by defendants upon conviction, equal treatment and protection should not be one of them. The manifestation of unequal

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