Ethnicity, Crime and Justice Flashcards
What is the overrepresentation of black people in the prison population?
Black people make up just 3% of the population, but 13.1% of the prison population.
What is the overrepresentation of Asians in the prison population?
Asians make up 6.5% of the population, but 7.7% of the prison population.
How are white people represented in the criminal justice process?
White people are under-represented at all stages of the criminal justice process.
What did the Ministry of Justice (2008) report about black communities?
Members of Black communities are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than their White counterparts.
What do Victims Surveys like CSEW reveal about ethnicity and offending?
Victims Surveys ask individuals about crimes they have been victims of and can identify the ethnicity of offenders.
What is a limitation of Victims Surveys?
They rely on the victim’s memory of events, which can lead to inaccuracies.
What did Graham and Bowling find in their self-report study?
Blacks (43%) and whites (44%) had similar rates of offending, while Indians (30%), Pakistanis (28%), and Bangladeshis (13%) had lower rates.
What did Sharp and Budd find regarding drug use among different ethnicities?
27% of males of ‘mixed’ ethnicity reported drug use, compared to 16% of black and white males and 5% of Asian males.
What do self-report studies suggest about black people and offending?
They challenge the stereotype that black people are more likely to offend than whites.
What is the relationship between stop and search and ethnicity?
Members of minority ethnic groups are more likely to be stopped and searched by police.
How much more likely are black people to be stopped and searched compared to white people?
Black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched.
What is the chance of being involved in a Taser incident for blacks?
For blacks, the chance of involvement was 18 in 10,000.
What are the three possible reasons for disproportionate stop and search patterns?
- Police racism 2. Ethnic differences in offending 3. Demographic factors.
What was the arrest rate for blacks compared to whites in 2014/15?
The arrest rate for blacks was three times the rate for whites.
What is the role of the CPS in prosecutions?
The CPS decides whether a case should be prosecuted in court based on public interest.
What do studies suggest about CPS cases against ethnic minorities?
The CPS is more likely to drop cases against ethnic minorities.
What is the conviction rate for black and Asian defendants compared to whites?
Black and Asian defendants are less likely to be found guilty than whites.
What is a possible reason for harsher sentences for ethnic minorities?
Pre-sentence reports may allow for unwitting discrimination.
What percentage of the prison population were from minority ethnic groups in 2014?
Just over a quarter of the prison population were from minority ethnic groups.
What do Lea and Young argue about ethnic differences in offending?
They argue that statistics reflect real differences in levels of offending due to relative deprivation.
What is Gilroy’s view on black criminality?
Gilroy argues that black criminality is a myth created by racist stereotypes.
What do Hall et al argue regarding moral panic in the 1970s?
They argue that a moral panic over black ‘muggers’ served the interests of capitalism.
What may the ruling class need to use when opposition to capitalism grows?
The ruling class may need to use force to maintain control.
Why must the use of force by the ruling class be seen as legitimate?
If the use of force is not seen as legitimate, it may provoke more widespread resistance.
What was the media-driven moral panic in the 1970s about?
It was about the supposed growth of a ‘new’ crime - mugging.
What did Hall et al note about the crime of mugging?
There was no evidence of a significant increase in mugging at the time; it was just a new name for street robbery with violence.
Who was mugging associated with by the media, police, and politicians?
Mugging was associated with black youth.
How did Hall et al link the moral panic about mugging to capitalism?
They argued that the emergence of the moral panic about mugging as specifically ‘black’ crime was linked to the crisis of capitalism.
What did the myth of the black mugger serve as?
It served as a scapegoat to distract attention from the true causes of problems like unemployment.
What did the black mugger symbolize?
The disintegration of the social order and the feeling that the British way of life was ‘coming apart at the seams’.
How did the moral panic about mugging affect the working class?
It served to divide the working class on racial grounds and weaken opposition to capitalism.
What drove some black youth into a lifestyle of hustling and petty crime?
The crisis of capitalism was marginalizing them through unemployment.
What is a criticism of Hall et al’s argument?
They do not show how the capitalist crisis led to a moral panic or provide evidence of public panic.
What do left realists argue about inner-city residents’ fears of mugging?
They argue that these fears are not panicky, but realistic.
What is racist victimisation?
It occurs when an individual is targeted because of their race, ethnicity, or religion.
What event brought greater public focus to racist victimisation?
The racist murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993.
How many racist incidents were recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2014/15?
54,000 racist incidents were recorded, mostly damage to property or verbal harassment.
What does the CSEW estimate about racially motivated incidents in 2014/15?
It estimates there were around 89,000 racially motivated incidents.
Which ethnic group had the highest risk of becoming a victim of crime according to the 2014/15 CSEW?
People from mixed ethnic backgrounds had a higher risk of 27.9%.
What factors are linked with victimisation for violent crime?
Being young, male, and unemployed are strongly linked with victimisation.
How do ethnic groups with a high proportion of young males relate to victimisation rates?
They are likely to have higher rates of victimisation.
What do Sampson and Phillips note about racist victimisation?
It tends to be ongoing over time, with repeated minor instances of abuse and harassment.
What is the long-term impact of racist victimisation?
It has a psychological impact in addition to physical injury and damage to property.
