Email Address: kiki.m.maharaj@gmail.com
Attends: Farmingdale State College
Major Course of Study: Criminal Justice
One major issue facing the criminal justice system today is the racial bias in policing and sentencing. This is because there have been multiple complaints worldwide about how it disproportionately affects people of color, particularly African American and Hispanic individuals. This is proven by many body cameras on police officers and the public, who have captured footage showing instances of police brutality and excessive use of force, which has helped to bring attention to the issue of racial bias in policing. Statistics reliably show that different ethnic groups such as Hispanics, Asian, Indian, and African Americans are mainly targeted and endure police brutality and inequality, they are more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, and incarcerated in comparison to white individuals. For example, “ A young Hispanic man working evening shift drives home on the same route five nights a week after midnight, and is stopped for suspicious behavior almost every night.”(Grant, 2001). This situation highlights the problem of racial profiling and discrimination in policing, which can also have a serious impact on individuals mental health and well being, and can eventually lead to mistrust of law enforcement and the justice system.
Dating back to the era of slavery, racial bias in policing has a long history in the United States. However, it wasn't until the mid 20th century that the Civil Rights Movement brought widespread attention to the issue, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to solve the problem. In many cases it is more common that African Americans and Ethnic people have been falsely suspected of stealing, possession of drugs, carrying firearms, and etc.., meanwhile white individuals aren’t suspected until physically proven guilty majority of the time.One notable statistic regarding the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color in the United States is that "African Americans are generally found to have lower levels of trust in police than any other race or ethnic group in the United States, Whites are found to have the highest."(Benjamin, 2018). While the African American community is often the most visible group affected by police brutality, research has shown that Asians are also at risk of excessive force, racial profiling, and wrongful arrest. Studies suggest that Asians are often perceived as foreign or exotic, which can lead to increased scrutiny and mistreatment by law enforcement. Additionally, the model minority myth can make it difficult for Asians to speak out about police brutality and other forms of racial discrimination.
Lastly, policing is an important part of maintaining public safety and order in society, but it's also a complex and challenging job. Police officers are often called upon to make split second decisions in high pressure situations, and they face many risks and dangers in the course of their work. At the same time, policing can also be a source of tension and conflict, particularly in communities that have experienced historical discrimination or abuse at the hands of law enforcement. To build trust and positive relationships between police and communities, it's important to have open and honest communication. This can involve regular meetings between community members and police officers, as well as opportunities for community members to provide feedback and input on policing law enforcement and practices. It's also important to have accountability and oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that police officers are held to high standards of conduct and that any abuses of power are addressed promptly and fairly.
Referred By: Reference 1 (members only): Oscar Montesdeoca, Omontes94@gmail.com, (347)971-6471, John Jay College 524 W 59th St, New York, NY 10019
Reference 2: Sarah Lambert, Sarahlambert@northbabylonschools.net, (631)704-2036,1 Phelps Ln, North Babylon 11703
Refrence 3: Samantha Sturman, samantha.sturman@yahoo.com, (718)314-1204
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