Research Guides: Systemic Racism: Criminal Justice

"...within the criminal justice system [institutional racism] refers to racially differentiated outcomes of cases unrelated to criminal culpability, prior record, or other race neutral factors (Walker et al., 2007, 19). As one of a number of forms of racism, institutional racism can be distinguished from individual racism by the manner in which it occurs. It is an outcome of institutional policies, procedures, and statutes rather than of racially biased individual decisions" (Reitzel, 2014, 295).

Reitzel, J. D. (2014). Institutional Racism. In D. D. Jones-Brown, B. D. Frazier, & M. Brooks (Eds.), African Americans and Criminal Justice: An Encyclopedia (pp. 295-301). Greenwood. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX6104100071/GVRL?u=modestojc_main&sid=GVRL&xid=c0e54352

Background Reading

Crime and Race/Ethnicity from Racial & Ethnic Relations in America (2017)
"...it is impossible to examine crime and punishment in the United States without addressing whether these disparities are the result of discrimination, and whether such discrimination is a feature of the criminal justice system or if criminal justice simply mirrors the racism and inequality that exist in the larger society. Since 2014 the Black Lives Matter movement has brought these issues to public attention."
Duke University Carceral Studies Network
The Carceral Studies Network hosts resources for those seeking to teach or learn about prisons, policing, and the carceral state. Designed by instructors and students at Duke University, the site is meant to help teachers develop new courses from the ground up, or enrich existing courses with new materials. Learners will also find helpful resources, including texts that can complement assigned readings and syllabi that might facilitate self-study and community-based learning.

There’s Racial Bias in our Police Systems. Here’s the Overwhelming Proof.
Lengthy compilation of studies on policing, the drug war, jury selection, sentencing, prison, bail and other criminal justice issues. Published in June 2020 by the Washington Post.