Ethnicity & Crime - 4.5 Flashcards
3 Main Stats - Ethnicity & Criminalisation
> OS
VS
SRS
OS - Ethnicity & Criminalisation
> BAME overrep in CJS, despite being lowest % of pop
> B 7x + likely to be stopped & searched, 5x + likely to be in prison
Victim Surveys - Ethnicity & Criminalisation
> Crime often intra-ethnic
> Ask ppl to identify ethnicity of person who done crime vs them
> e.g. for mugging, B + likely to be identified
Criticisms of Victim Surveys
> Over identify B & only look @ personal crimes
> Exclude U16s - EM contain + proportion of young ppl
> No focus on WCC
Ethnicity & Criminalisation - Stats (KS)
> Graham & Bowling (SRS)
> Sharp & Budd (SRS)
SRS - Graham & Bowling
> B&W had = rates of offending, asians had - rates
> Goes vs stereotype of B + likely > W to offend
Sharp & Budd (SRS)
> Those from mixed ethnic origins + likely to self-report crimes
> e.g. more M of MEO claimed to use drugs vs less B&W
Conclusion on Stats for Ethnic Differences in Crime
Inconsistent, OS & VS shows + rates of offending by B, but SRS don’t
Examples of Racism in CJS (KS)
> Phillips and Browning (Policing)
> Holdaway - Canteen Culture (Police Racism)
> Bowling - Canteen Culture (Police Racism)
> Bowling & Phillips (Prosecution)
> Hood (Sentencing)
> Hudson & Bramall (Pre-Sentence Reports)
Examples of Racism in CJS
> Policing > Stop & Search > Arrests & Cautions > Prosecution > Trial > Sentencing & Prison
PSAP TS
Phillips and Browning - Policing
> EM are “over-policed & under protected & oppressed
> e.g. mass stop & search, surveillance etc.
> Fail 2 respond to racist violence
Criticisms of Phillips & Bowling
Targeting due 2 MP e.g. black muggers in 70’s based on actual criminality.
Stop & Search - Examples of Racism in CJS
> B + likely 2 be S&S > W, only need reasonable suspicion.
> But only few stops result in arrests, also + A due to Terrorism Act (2000)
Explanations for Patterns in Stop & Search
> Ethnic Diff in Offending
Police Racism
Demographic Factors
Holdaway - Canteen Culture (Police Racism)
PO, not racist themselves but when together can reinforce stereotypes then acted on duty.
Bowling - Canteen Culture (Police Racism)
> Among rank & file members, active racism in ppl making racist jokes
> Conducting police practices in racist way.
Macpherson Report - (Police Racism)
IR in police force in their handling of murder of Stephen Lawerence
Criticisms of Macpherson Report
> Recommendations implemented e.g. Racial Equality Scheme
> Recruiting + PO from EM - but crime rate 4 EM not -?
Ethnic Diff in Offending - Explanations for Patterns in Stop & Search
> Patterns due to fact some EM groups + likely to offend
> So police acting on relevant info about an offence e.g. LD stops & HD stops
Low Discretion Stops
PO act on intelligence e.g. description of offender
High Discretion Stops
PO act w/out intelligence so can use stereotypes, so discrimination + likely.
Demographic Factors - Explanations for Patterns in Stop & Search
> Young, unemployed, manual workers + likely to be stopped regardless of ethnicity
> Groups + prevalent among EM, so stopped more
Arrests & Cautions - Examples of Racism in CJS
> EM - likely > W 2 get caution, as EM + likely > W to deny offence
> & use right 4 legal advice - can’t get cautioned + likely 2 be charged instead
Bowling & Phillips - Prosecution
> CPS + likely to drop cases vs EM > W
> Evidence given is often weaker & based on stereotypes of EM as criminals
Trial - Examples of Racism in CJS
> EM + likely to use trial in CC > in magistrates due to mistrust of their impartiality
> But CC can give harsher sentences
Convictions - Examples of Racism in CJS
> EM - likely to be found guilty, due to police/CPS discrimination
> Bring weaker cases vs EM, so thrown out by courts
Sentencing - Examples of Racism in CJS
> B + likely 2 go jail & not get community service
> Due 2 diff in severity/prior convictions.
Hood - Sentencing
> Even if seriousness of offence & prior convictions are considered
> B M 5% + likely to get jail sentences longer > W M
Hudson & Bramall - Pre-Sentence Reports
> Harsher sentences due 2 PSR written by probation officers, allows 4 discrimination
> Reports on A - comprehensive & - remorseful > W
> Bias due 2 demonising of muslims, due 2 9/11
Prison - Examples of Racism in CJS
> B 5x + likely 2 be in prison
> EM - likely to be granted bail
Explanations for Statistical Differences in Offending (KS)
> Lea & Young (LR & Response to RD)
> Gilroy (NM, Myth of Black Criminality & EM crime as Political Resistance)
> Merton (Strain Theory)
> Hall et al (Policing the Crisis)
> Fitzgerald (Neighbourhood Factors)
> Waddington et al (Locality Theory)
> Sharp & Budd (Getting Caught)
> Sewell (3x Quandary)
LR - Explanations for Statistical Differences in Offending
> Due 2 alienation & marginalisation, due 2 unemployment = powerlessness
> & media emphasis on consumerism = RD
> Diff vs B&A S&S figures, implies police selective in racism - unlikely as racists unselective
> So due 2 real diff in rd, marginalisation etc
Criticisms of Left Realism
> A rates - due to police stereotypes of B’S as aggressive & A passive
> S&S 4 A + est 9/11
NM view on OS
Don’t reflect reality, SC, stereotypes EM’s + criminal
Gilroy - Myth of Black Criminality - NM
> B not + criminal > other groups, but CJS act on racist stereotypes
> so + likely to be criminalised
Gilroy - EM crime as Political Resistance
> Criminality form of resistance v imperialism of past e.g. riots & demonstrations
> Use = means when facing racism 2 defend themselves
> But political struggle criminalised by state.
Lea & Young - Criticisms of Gilroy
> 1st gen immigrants law-abiding, colonial struggle not inherited + crime intra-ethnic
> Romanticises crime as revolutionary
> Selective racism?
Hall et al - Policing the Crisis (Capitalism causing crime & distraction)
> Eco recession in 70s + unemployment = civil unrest e.g. mass strikes
> Capitalism seemed 2 be failing gov needed scapegoat to divert attention
> Recession = + eco marginalization of B youth = + in robbery
Hall et al - Policing the Crisis (Role of Media)
> = MP on robbery by media, done by B youth
> e.g. + policing = + arrests diverts attention capitalism initially = crime
Downes & Rock - Criticisms of Hall
> Contradictory says B crime exaggerated, but also set to + due 2 unemployment
> If CR + it’s not MP but real event
General Criticisms of Hall
> Association w/ criminality & B youth continued est eco crisis of 70’s
> So unclear this is ultimate cause of MP
Fitzgerald - Neighbourhood Factors
> Robbery + in WC areas & when deprived youth encounter UC
> Young B also live in WC areas, but W = likely 2 do crime
> Ethnicities not cause
Waddington et al - Locality Theory
> Some areas + densely populated w/ EM explaining S&S stats
> Also live in areas of transition, W/+ CR due to lack of SS
Merton (Strain Theory) (Exp for Statistical Diff in Offending)
>
- likely to fail @ skl etc, so innovate to achieve AD
Criticisms of Waddington et al
> True for 1st gen immigrants but many EM move out of areas of transition after 1/2 gens & assimilate into majority culture.
Sharp & Budd - Getting Caught
> B + likely 2 be arrested, as they’d crimes w/ identifications possible e.g. robbery
> & + likely 2 be excluded from skl & associate w/criminals + visibility 2 police
Triple Quandary - Sewell
> Young B boys in LPF, no M role model, so join gangs
> Neg exp of W culture e.g. skl & policing
> Media instils desire 4 designer & hyper-masculinity w/ violence/sex
Criticisms of Sewell
>
- of positive black role models
> No link vs LPF & criminality
Racist Victimisation w/ example
> Individual selected as target, due to race, ethnicity or reg
> e.g. racist murder of Stephen Lawerence & Macpherson Report
Aspects covered by CSEW & Police Stats
> Racist Incidents
> Racially or Reg aggravated offences
Racist Incidents
Incident perceived as racist by V
Racially or Reg aggravated offences
e.g. by someone motivated by hostility vs race/reg
Extent & Risk of Victimisation
> 54K racists incidents in 2015, but lot iunderreported
> BCS esti actually 89K only - NO prosecuted
> EM @ + risk being V’s of crime
Reasons for Diff in Stats for Victimisation
> EM + likely 2 be young, M & unemployed
> If + of these ppl are in EM = + chance of victimisation
Responses to Victimisation
> e.g. fireproof doors, letterboxes, SD campaigns etc
> Due 2 police underprotection e.g. Lawerence
LR & Response to RD (Exp for Statistical Diff in Offending)
> Unable 2 reach material goods legit = util crime
> No org to rep interests = frustration & non-util crime e.g. violence & riots
