Examine how crack cocaine laws pertain to race/ethnicity and crime. These laws illustrate which explanation for race/ethnic disparities in crime?
What will be an ideal response?
Crack cocaine laws illustrate systemic inequality as a potential explanation for the differential offending and victimization rates between minorities and Whites. Blacks and Whites are treated differently by criminal justice professionals and politicians, and this differential treatment may result in higher arrest and incarceration rates for Blacks.
In the 1980s and 1990s, states began to pass severe laws against those who possessed crack cocaine, which has been referred to as “poor man’s cocaine.” Experts note that crack cocaine use is higher among Blacks, while cocaine use is higher among Whites. While the actual effects of the two drugs are similar, penalties for crack cocaine violations are far more severe than are the penalties for cocaine use. Research by Allison Chappell and Scott Maggard shows that Blacks and Hispanics receive longer sentences than Whites for drug law violations and that “crack is treated much more harshly than powder cocaine in the court system in New York.” The authors suggest that a combination of institutional racism and decision-making practices by criminal justice officials may contribute to these inequalities.
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A juvenile intake officer has broad discretion after a youth has been apprehended by police
a. true b. false
Is it good policy for homeland security to encompass all hazards? Why or why not?
What will be an ideal response?
Explain the racial threat hypothesis, how it begins, and what factors are associated with it. Provide at least one real-world example that may demonstrate the racial threat hypothesis in action.
What will be an ideal response?
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Indicate whether the statement is true or false