Institutionalized Racism
The last major factor that has caused racial disparities in the criminal justice system is institutionalized racism. Institutional racism leads minorities to a life of crime because of the deprivation of opportunities in various systems such as economics, healthcare, and education. “Racial discrimination in American institutions have contributed to and continue to perpetuate the minority status and the current conditions of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans. Criminal activity, as defined by those in power, may be one of the adaptive responses of racial minorities to institutionalized racism.”( ) These institutions are failing to spread their service equally which is contributing to the cycle that most minorities live which is being incarcerated and living a life of poverty. Large racial disparities are going to be continuous unless changes are made to these institutions because these institutions are deciding minorities destinies and minorities have no say or control.