Historical Context
When looking at racial disparities in the criminal justice system we must first get a basic historical understanding of the criminal justice system. Additionally, “the U.S. criminal justice system is composed of three parts: the police, the courts, and corrections. All have historic roots and influences from English law and custom”(History of the American Criminal Justice System). The police branch of the criminal justice system began in seventeenth century England where families who supported the king at the time created their own patrols in their regions where they were overseen by a sheriff to make sure their allegiance was to the monarch. Also, “during the century between the American Revolution and Civil Wars, population growth and industrialization spurred the development of municipal police departments” (History of the American Criminal Justice System).
The next branch of the criminal justice system is the courts. This system also has a long history: “pre-revolutionary courts in America followed the laws of Great Britain. In fact, one of the early causes for rebellion was that in some cases, colonists were not given the same rights as Englishmen under the Magna Carta”(History of the American Criminal Justice System). Even at the very beginning of our criminal justice system, certain people were trialed differently. However, when the constitution was written the sixth and fifth amendment were specifically written concerning the criminal justice system that a person has time to create a defense before a trial and must know what that person is being accused for.
The final branch of the criminal justice system is corrections. “During Colonial times, the British penal system was used, which relied heavily on punishment and execution”(History of the American Criminal Justice System) This changed in the 1800’s when states started incarcerating criminals to make them work to reform them, not torture or kill them. Then in the mid 1800’s the criminal justice system became impatient with reforming criminals so they turned their focus to rehabilitation and deterrence. “Zebulon Brockway, superintendent of a reformatory in New York, created a system of inmate classification and parole. It was thought that criminals could be treated for their criminal tendencies with corrective therapies such as imposing total silence on the prison population and requiring inmates to wear striped uniforms” (History of the American Criminal Justice System) The present criminal justice system is still run in this manner where criminal are given a sentence and while serving it they are offered job training and other programs to assist them after they complete their sentence.
The next branch of the criminal justice system is the courts. This system also has a long history: “pre-revolutionary courts in America followed the laws of Great Britain. In fact, one of the early causes for rebellion was that in some cases, colonists were not given the same rights as Englishmen under the Magna Carta”(History of the American Criminal Justice System). Even at the very beginning of our criminal justice system, certain people were trialed differently. However, when the constitution was written the sixth and fifth amendment were specifically written concerning the criminal justice system that a person has time to create a defense before a trial and must know what that person is being accused for.
The final branch of the criminal justice system is corrections. “During Colonial times, the British penal system was used, which relied heavily on punishment and execution”(History of the American Criminal Justice System) This changed in the 1800’s when states started incarcerating criminals to make them work to reform them, not torture or kill them. Then in the mid 1800’s the criminal justice system became impatient with reforming criminals so they turned their focus to rehabilitation and deterrence. “Zebulon Brockway, superintendent of a reformatory in New York, created a system of inmate classification and parole. It was thought that criminals could be treated for their criminal tendencies with corrective therapies such as imposing total silence on the prison population and requiring inmates to wear striped uniforms” (History of the American Criminal Justice System) The present criminal justice system is still run in this manner where criminal are given a sentence and while serving it they are offered job training and other programs to assist them after they complete their sentence.