Ethnicity, Crime, Justice

Question 1

Ministry of Justice - stats on Black’s

Answer 1

Black’s:
x7 more likely than whites to be STOPPED,
x3.5 more likely to be arrested
x5 more likely to go to prison

Question 2

Victim Surveys (CRIME SURVEY FOR ENGLAND AND WALES) give a better understanding than official stats because…

(Alternative source of stats)

Answer 2

Can look at the victims = gain info on:, ID, ethnicity, the person who committed the crime against them.
Also info on… INTRA-ETHNIC/VIOLENCE

Question 3

Criticism for victim crime surveys

Answer 3

PHILIPS and BOWLING -
White victims many ‘over-identify’ blacks - saying the offender was black when they weren’t sure (as it repys on victims memory).

Question 4

Self-report studies

Alternative source of stats

Answer 4

Ask the individual to disclose their dishonest and violent behaviour:
BOWLING - (study of 2,500)
WHITE: 44% BLACKS = 43% (nearly the same rates in offending)
INDIANS: 30% BANGLADESHIS 13%

Question 5

Stop and search - terrorism Act 2000

Answer 5

Terrorism Act 2000:
Police can stop anyone/vehicle they want, without a reason = Stats show Asians are more likely to be stopped and searched = ‘over policed, under-protected’

Question 6

Police racism - stop and searches

Answer 6

PHILIPS and BOWLING -
Many officers hold negative stereotypes on EM’S: criminals = target for SS.
Stereotypes = ‘canteen culture’ of officers.

Question 7

Prosecution and convictions

Answer 7

PHILIPS AND BOWLING -
Studies show that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) more likely to drop cases on EM’s BECAUSE of weak evidence and stereotyping individuals = less likely to be found guilty!!!

Question 8

Blacks x4 more likely than white to be in prison. Black and Asian more liekly to serve longer prison sentences.

Answer 8

…

Question 9

Pre-sentence report - Bias and sereotyping

Answer 9

Pre-sentence reports (PSR):
After 9/11 Asian’s see to be demonised from Police, when writing reports they would be stereotyping and have less remorse.

Question 10

Left Realist: LEA AND YOUNG

Differences in offending

Answer 10

LEA and YOUNG -
Stats represent real differences in levels of offending between ethnic groups - these are cause by real differences in levels of RD and marginalisation (as they are more susceptible to this).

Question 11

Neo-Marxist: Gilroy: The myth of black criminality

Differences in offending

Answer 11

GILROY

EM crime seen as political resistance against a racist society????????????

Question 12

Neo-Marxist: HALL ET ALL: Policing the crisis

Differences in offending

Answer 12

HALL ET AL -
Black crime: product of media and police labelling.

States the a moral panic about black ‘muggers’ has
a rised - to be used as a scapegoat: distract the true problems of unemployment (the capitalist crisis).
DONE WITH MEDIA

EXAMPLE: Knife crime in the UK.

Question 13

LR - criticism for Hall et al

Answer 13

Seen it not as a moral panic but realistic, it reflected society fears.

Question 14

Fitzgerald et al - neighbourhood!

Differences in offending

Answer 14

FITGERALD ET AL -
Higher rates of poor areas (more likely blacks) and more deprived young people come into contact with more affluent groups = greater involvement in street robbery.
HOWEVER, white’s in this position more likely to commit street crime - thus ethnicity not the cause.
HOWEVER, Black people more racially discriminated = poor areas.

Question 15

Ethnicity and victimisation

Answer 15

Extent and risk:
Police recorded 54,000 racist incidents in England and Whales in 2014/15
Unreported:
89,000 racially motivated incidents 2014/15
Response to victimisation:
Macpherson Enquiry - investigation into death of Stephen Lawrence: institutional racism, professional incompetence’.
EXAMPLE: Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
EXAMPLE: Black lives matter!!