Understanding the nature and prevalence of crime is important, as it provides the basis to analyze various factors, which have the potential of determining the likelihood as well as pattern of offending. Scholars have carried out a plethora of research focusing on how certain elements such as race and ethnicity are associated to criminal offending. As an example, they have assessed whether being white or black affects the pattern and likelihood of crime in the society. Additionally, ethnicity has also come across as a vital factor to consider whereby researchers assessed the role that culture plays in promoting or limiting criminal behavior among individuals. In some cultures, there is a belief that beating women is a sign of punishing them for their mistakes, while also making them feel loved. However, in some, such cases are categorized under domestic violence, which is considered a crime. Having understood the complexities that exist when it comes to explaining the basis of crime, it is important to know how race and ethnicity act as catalysts or limiting factors.
Robert, D. Crutchfield, April Fernandes, and Jorge Martinez (2010) addressed some of the issues associated with race, ethnicity and criminal behavior. They noted that black juveniles were at an increased disadvantage compared to their white counterparts when it came to the earlier stages of the juvenile justice procedure. Additionally, they found that prior delinquency as well as seriousness of current offenses, after controlling for legal factors, African Americans were highly likely to be detained (Crutchfield, Fernandes, & Martinez, 2010). Somewhat in support of this finding, Alex Piquero and Robert Brame (2008) noted that based on self-repot studies, there were lower levels of African American overrepresentation in criminal behavior, at least for crimes that were considered less serious. However, it became evident that there was disproportionate involvement of African Americans in regards to more serious crimes. Such findings introduce important concepts to consider such as the severity of crime and the potential role of ethnicity in determining the incarceration rate of criminal offenders.
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Statistics obtained from the Federal Bureau Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting revealed variations in criminal offending. For instance, for such a crime as murder and non-negligent manslaughter 45.3% of Whites were convicted compared to 52.2% of African Americans, while Asians and Native Americans accounted for only 1.2% each respectively. When it comes to rape, statistics were as follows: Whites (66.2%), African Americans (31.3%), Asians (1.2%) and American Indians (1.3%) (FBI: UCR, 2013). These statistics revealed considerable variations in criminal offenses as Whites appear to be the dominant group. However, it is not quite clear whether incarceration rates reflect the statistics given. Jennifer H. Peck (2016) conducted a study focusing on contemporary perspectives regarding race and ethnicity, criminal behavior and responses from the justice system. Basing on information from Pennsylvania sentencing data from 2006 to 2010, juvenile records increased the chance of sentencing. Critical to note is that “A juvenile record influenced the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence to the disadvantage of African-American men, but not other racial/ethnic groups” (Peck, 2016, p. 2). This was based on the premise that African American men had a higher criminal history score compared to other Hispanics and Whites, which contributed to disparity in sentencing outcomes (Peck, 2016).
Thus far, data gathered reveals conflicting findings when one compares crime rates and sentencing outcomes across various racial and ethnic communities in the United States. The information obtained from the FBI shows that Whites have the highest rates in regards to the crimes mentioned. However, it appears that the rate of incarceration for African Americans is higher compared to that of other ethnic communities. According to Piquero and Brame (2008), with respect to racial and ethnic variations in serious adolescent crime, self-reporting was explained through disparities in community disadvantages for Blacks, gang involvement in Hispanics, social bonds in Native Americans, and situational variables for Asians. This reveals that some other factors, such as socioeconomic status affect the likelihood of crime across different ethnic groups in the United States. In a bid to explain the reason why a high rate of incarceration for African Americans has been reported, Crutchfield, Fernandes, and Martinez, (2010) explained that “ Variations in the social environments of children, in particular having family members who are known to the justice system, getting in trouble in school, and associating with deviant peers and adults, helps explain observed racial differences in contact and arrest” (p. 912). This creates the assumption that there is a possibility for some individuals escaping sentencing because of their affiliation with relatives working for the justice system. Following from such a proposition, one could argue that the likelihood to offend and consequent sentencing is based on socioeconomic status.
The relationship between race, ethnicity and criminal offending is not as definitive. There are certain factors, which affect the likelihood to offend, the rate of incarceration as well as, in some cases, the type of crime committed. While data acquired from the FBI reveals that Whites are most involved in some crimes compared to African Americans, Asians, Hispanics as well as Native Americans, the rate of incarceration for Blacks is higher. A potential reason for this could be socioeconomic status and affiliation of offenders to family members know to the justice system. This would mean that there is no parity when it comes to sentencing despite Whites being mostly involved in some crimes over other ethnic communities. Further studies are required to explain the prevalence of such differences and whether there are other underlying factors not considered in already existing research.
References
Crutchfield R. D., Fernandes, A., & Martinez, J. (2010). Racial and Ethnic Disparity and Criminal Justice: How Much is Too Much. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 100 (3). Retrieved from https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7366&context=jclc
FBI: UCR. (2013). Crime in the United States 2013 . Retrieved from https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/tables/table-43
Peck. J. H. (2016). Contemporary issues of race/ethnicity, offending behavior, and justice responses, Journal of Crime and Justice, 39 (1), 1-8, DOI: 10.1080/0735648X.2015.1136381
Piquero, A. R., & Brame, R. W. (2008). Assessing the Race–Crime and Ethnicity–Crime Relationship in a Sample of Serious Adolescent Delinquents. Crime and Delinquency , 54 (3), 390–422. http://doi.org/10.1177/0011128707307219
