The criminal justice system is a highly debated topic because of the racial motivations that occur so often throughout it. Today we can truly see how much systemic injustice occurs and how much racial injustice is a serious issue. I read an article recently that talked about the racial discrimination that persists today in the criminal legal system. In the article by Project Innocence it states “Innocent Black people spend an average of 13.8 years wrongly imprisoned before being exonerated — about 45% longer than innocent white people. This racial disparity in time spent wrongfully incarcerated holds true across different types of convictions. Black people tend to receive harsher sentences when accused of sexual assault, and have a harder time being exonerated from a wrongful conviction. On average, they spend 4.5 more years in prison than their white counterparts before being exonerated.” (PI) These issues are seen everywhere in the US and make minority groups considered to be lower than those that are the majority. It puts people in a position where they have no power to do anything about saving themselves. They are portrayed as being of lesser value than others solely based on their skin color. This relates heavily to Simone deBeauvoir’s One and the Other concept. Her concept deals with the other being less than the one in situations and how the one is to be dominant over the other. This intertwines well with the theory that the criminal justice system sees white people as dominant over black people. The justice system has created traditions and patterns of this that makes the whole system a systemic injustice.The previous quote shows that throughout the justice system there is less care and conciseness towards African Americans when being sentenced. The system ultimately puts less effort into making sure that trials are ran fairly and the African Americans that are being prosecuted are given adequate treatment. One example in particular of mistreatment and cruelty in the system comes from an article that states “In Illinois, for example, under former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge, police psychologically abused and physically tortured more than 100 Black men and women until many falsely confessed to crimes they did not commit. Several people wrongly convicted by Mr. Burge and his officers, including Innocence Project client Kevin Bailey, have since been exonerated.” (PI) This exemplifies the brutal treatment that African American receive when going through the criminal justice system and it shows how there is a large power inequity at play. Those higher up in the system have a large amount of power over those down below, this is a great example of the one and the other concept being applied. They have no way to fend for themselves when they may be stuck in a jail for a substantially longer period of time then a white person may be. The problem is there is no way to prove that if there is no one advocating for them to be treated fairly. The system itself has let African Americans down and will not allow anyone to fight for them the way they should be fought for. This issue is so prevalent in many different justice systems and affects African Americans more than any other race, preventing them from being able to succeed the way everyone else does or to live a normal life.
Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org/facts-racial-discrimination-justice-system-wrongful-conviction-black-history-month/
I really enjoyed reading your diary systemic injustice and the insight it gave me into our justice system. For one of my diaries, I almost choose to do this topic. I think this is an important topic that is very prevalent today. I watched the YouTube video attached to your post by Professor Daniel J. D’Amico and loved the additional information he gave me on this topic and think it connect well to your post. I think this is a very important topic that more people need to be informed on. What stood out to me from your post the most was that on average, African Americans spend 4.5 more years in prison than their white counterparts before being exonerated. This is a statistic I was not aware of and think is outrageous and needs to be addressed.
I really enjoyed reading your post and the points you provided. I totally agree our criminal system is corrupt and lots of African American are being affected. Our justice system should be there to help and protect us not accuse and conflict us. As an African American I get scared just being pulled over for a speeding because you don’t know what it will lead to. Others are wrongfully accused for crimes they didn’t which is totally not accepted because you stripping the life of a innocent person and causing mental trauma to both their parents and the individual. The justice system should do more and to avoid injustice like this.