There is a significant difference between black people and their white counterparts in sentencing decisions in the U.S. Sentences given to blacks are about 20% longer compared to those given to white people with similar criminal offences. Race plays an important part in decisions concerning homicide cases that should end up in life sentences. Such racial discriminations are a result of the blacks getting desperate treatment in the judiciary system. The judiciary serves as a means to ensure that law is enforced and by doing so, it should provide equal judgment measures without discriminating against races. This essay gives a general discussion on sentencing disparity between white and black people for drug offences.
When it comes to drug offences, racial discrimination is highly pronounced in sentencing as seen in judicial proceedings (Walker, 2011). Majority of the people arrested in America for drug offences are the black ( Browning, Miller & Spruance, 2018). They also serve a much more jail sentence for drug offences as compared to whites who committed violent offences. Such racial disparities came in place as black people were arrested more frequently with drug-related crimes as compared to whites. They spend more time behind bars for drug offences that are committed without violence as compared to the whites who get sentenced for a shorter period for violent drug offences.
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The increased cases of imprisonment regarding drug allegations have mostly impacted the black community. In 2011, black people were imprisoned at a much higher level than white people. Until now, blacks account for almost half of prisoners that are sentenced for more than one year for offences that are related to drugs. According to research and policy analysis, racial bias has been explored in the criminal justice system which includes the police practices, rates of arrest, convictions and length of sentence. All these have been found to be biased against the black people. There is a difference in sentence proceedings and case processing between the two races. This makes blacks more disadvantaged when they get arrested.
Unfortunately, black people are still serving unfair sentencing even after the Congress and Sentencing commission came up with sentencing adjustments. They have not benefited in any way even after the sentencing adjustments were made. The adjustments determined that drug offenders were sentenced unfairly. In 2014, the sentencing commission in the U.S aimed at enhancing fairness. This discrimination in drug sentencing comes as a result of many blacks abusing drugs compared to whites. Blacks have high chances of drug sales and possession charges ( Bucerius and Tonry, 2014 ). However, factors like unemployment and poverty alleviations among black people need to be addressed to prevent them from committing such offences.
There is urgent need for racial justice. If the needs of the offenders get addressed, then they will be less exposed to crimes associated with drugs. Judicial discrimination in cases concerning drug offences come about because blacks are exposed to such crimes as compared to whites. Cases such as lack of employment opportunities to the black people come as a result of discrimination in the employment sector. This leads to a rise in poverty levels, exposing blacks to drug crimes more than whites.
To finish with, it is critical to reduce racial disparity in the system of criminal justice to enhance fairness in judgment. Unless the justice system becomes just and fair, people will no longer have trust and confidence in it. Race has always played a role in the outcome of sentencing. The efforts aimed at reducing racial disparity in drug-related crimes should also put into consideration the charging practices for prosecutors, how investigation procedures are carried out and they should provide alternatives for sentencing options.
References
Browning, S. L., Miller, R. R., & Spruance, L. M. (2018). Criminal incarceration dividing the ties that bind: Black men and their families. In Impacts of incarceration on the African American family (pp. 87-102). Routledge.
Bucerius, S. M., & In Tonry, M. H. (2014). The Oxford handbook of ethnicity, crime, and immigration . New York: Oxford University Press
Walker, S. (2011). The color of justice: Race, ethnicity, and crime in America . Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.
