National Context
Focusing on the American criminal justice system alone we begin to see clearly the racial disparities that are occurring and the effects they are having on African Americans and Hispanic males. African American males and Hispanic males make up for most of the prison population. Here is a table from Project America: Crime: Prison Population: Prison Population by Race. (n.d.).
Since the year 2000 to 2007 black males have had a constant imprisonment rate of 3,000 to 3,500 per 100,000 residents. White males have had a constant rate of less than 500 people per 100,000 residents. “Black males have experienced the highest rate of imprisonment—6.5 times that of white males and 2.5 that of Hispanic males”(Project America: Crime: Prison Population: Prison Population by Race. (n.d.). This is an extreme difference between race imprisonment rates, but it has been a constant trend among races which means that the American criminal justice system is not taking action against these racial disparities. African Americans and Latinos are being placed at an even bigger disadvantage because of their incarceration. “In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination in employment. Yet today, three out of every ten African American males born in the United States will serve time in prison, a status that renders their prospects for legitimate employment bleak and often bars them from obtaining professional licenses.” Justice On Trial. (n.d.). Therefore they will probably go back to the criminal actions that got them incarcerated in the first place.
Since the year 2000 to 2007 black males have had a constant imprisonment rate of 3,000 to 3,500 per 100,000 residents. White males have had a constant rate of less than 500 people per 100,000 residents. “Black males have experienced the highest rate of imprisonment—6.5 times that of white males and 2.5 that of Hispanic males”(Project America: Crime: Prison Population: Prison Population by Race. (n.d.). This is an extreme difference between race imprisonment rates, but it has been a constant trend among races which means that the American criminal justice system is not taking action against these racial disparities. African Americans and Latinos are being placed at an even bigger disadvantage because of their incarceration. “In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination in employment. Yet today, three out of every ten African American males born in the United States will serve time in prison, a status that renders their prospects for legitimate employment bleak and often bars them from obtaining professional licenses.” Justice On Trial. (n.d.). Therefore they will probably go back to the criminal actions that got them incarcerated in the first place.