RACE AND CRIME

Are minorities continually being unfairly arrested, tried and punished as a result of racial discrimination or do minorities just commit more crimes? In order to determine if disparity or discrimination is the cause of current over representation of minorities in the criminal justice system we have to study race, ethnicity and past discriminatory judicial practices. Are the historical discriminatory practices and past laws the cause of the systematic imbalance of power in relation to race, class and discrimination within our society that leads to more crime among minorities today? T

here are many theories on why, how and even if race discrimination plays a significant role in explaining the current arrest and incarceration rates of minorities in the United States. Social strain theory, because it also involves the most restriction to important social aspects of society is the one I most agree with. In my experience restricted access to social and cultural capital is the cause for higher