The Criminal Justice System and Social Inequality Flashcards
How does race impact experiences with the criminal justice system?
People of color, particularly Black and Latinx individuals, face disproportionate policing, harsher sentencing, and higher incarceration rates.
What is the ‘school-to-prison pipeline’?
A system in which disadvantaged youth, especially Black and Latinx students, are funneled from underfunded schools into the criminal justice system due to harsh disciplinary policies.
How does socioeconomic status affect legal outcomes?
Poor individuals often lack access to quality legal representation, leading to higher conviction rates and harsher sentences compared to wealthier defendants.
How does gender influence interactions with the criminal justice system?
Women, particularly women of color, experience unique challenges such as higher rates of sexual violence in prison and harsher treatment for perceived moral transgressions.
What is the impact of criminalizing LGBTQ+ identities?
LGBTQ+ individuals face higher rates of police harassment, wrongful imprisonment, and violence both within and outside the prison system.
What is mass incarceration, and how does it function as a system of racial control?
Mass incarceration disproportionately targets Black and Latinx communities, reinforcing racial inequalities and limiting economic and social mobility.
How do private prisons contribute to inequality?
For-profit prisons benefit from keeping incarceration rates high, creating financial incentives to maintain harsh sentencing laws.
