ethnicity Flashcards
ethnicity and crime - official stats
Ethnicity is a shared culture and heritage which may include religion, language and country.
In 2008, the Ministry of Justice reported that compared to white people, black people (African Caribbean’s) were;
Three and a half times more likely to be arrested
Five times more likely to be in prison
More likely, if found guilty, to receive a custodial sentence.
Furthermore, in 2008, the Ministry of Justice reported that, compared to white people, Asians were;
Twice as likely to be stopped and searched (mainly for drugs)
More likely to be charged and face court procedures than to receive a caution
More likely to receive a custodial sentence if found guilty.
In 2007, 26% of male prisoners and 29% of females were from black and minority ethnic groups despite making up only 9% of the general population.
Gilroy; the myth of black criminality
• The idea of black criminality is a myth created by stereotypes of ethnic minorities - these groups are no more criminal than any other.
• Ethnic minorities are criminalised by police and the criminal justice system and so appear more in the official statistics.
• In Gilroy’s view, ethnic minority crime can be seen as a form of political resistance against a racist society.
criticism of Gilroy
• Ignores the fact that much black crime is committed against other black people (not just against the ‘white establishment’).
hall -policing the crisis (mugging,the state and law and order)
• During the 70s, Britain was facing a crisis of hegemony with high unemployment and civil unrest. This had the potential to topple ruling-class power and therefore they needed a scapegoat – they did this by using the media releasing selective stats suggesting young black Britons were more criminal and white individuals as most likely victims
• By creating a folk-devil and a moral panic, police were justified in using more aggressive and oppressive tactics against the black community.
• This in turn creates resentment and hostility against the police which reinforces existing stereotypes and racism.
evaluation of hall
• Ignores that much crime is actually reported by the public, suggesting that it is not the police being racist.
gordon (marxist) - deprivation
• ethnic minorities often experience severe economic deprivation in terms of income + poverty
• social deprivation in the form of poor quality housing + deteriorating inner-city areas
• in this sense, as part of the working class:
- crime is a rational reaction to conditions of inequality
- internalisation of criminogenic values (capitalist society is underpinned by the materialism and consumerism)
Evaluation of Gordon
-
Lea and young - left realism
• accepts that black crime, for some offences, is in fact higher than for whites – it is not just a social construction, and the police and racism cannot be blamed for creating high black crime rates.
• Instead Lea and Young look at how many ethnic minority groups suffer from;
Marginalisation
Relative deprivation
Negative subcultures
• they argue that individuals react to these factors in different ways yet many black minority groups do react through crime and deviance.
evaluation of lea and young
bowling and philips - cjs
• Ethnic minority cases are more likely to be dropped than white cases and black and Asian cases are less likely to be found guilty than white cases.
• this is a consequence of the weaker quality of evidence used to prosecute by police as it is evolved from stereotyping.
• This suggests discrimination in that the police and CPS may be bringing weaker or less serious cases against ethnic minorities that are thrown out of court
Evaluation of bowling and Phillips (cjs)
When being trialed black and Asian defendants are less likely to be found guilty: in 2006/7 60% of white defendants were found guilty as against only 52% of black and 44% of Asian cases
