Minorities and Women in Criminal Justice Essay

There are many key issues impacting minorities and women in the criminal justice system . Sexism still exists in the United States. Sexism against women is shown in the media and indicates that sexism still pervades in our society. Another key issue is the overrepresentation and disparities among minorities in the criminal justice system. After the act of September 11, racial profiling and other acts of racial hate crimes suggests that racism occurs. Another key issue that indicates that racial disparities occur in the criminal justice system is the overrepresentation of minorities in the Juvenile Justice system. Sexism against women- Sexism still pervades in our society. A clear example of this is the way Hillary Clinton was treated in the elections. Hillary faced many gender-based abuse by the media and many individuals. â€Å"Multiple studies on women in national security have shown concerns about the progression of women into senior leadership positions (Erbe, 2008).† Some feel women are inferior to men, this is clearly a form of sexism. Statistics from U.S. Bureau of Justice indicates that women are much more likely than men to experience â€Å"nonfatal intimate partner violence†. 30% of female homicide victims are estimated to have been killed by intimate partners in comparison to 5% male homicide victims. In the past, women were not included in higher education. When women were included in higher education , they were encouraged into majors that were less intellectual. Women have been excluded from participating in many professions. Based on a 2009 study conducted by Cornell University on the topic of CEOs, research suggests that while being obese limit’s the career opportunities of both women and men, being a bit overweight harms only female executives and may actually benefit male executives. There’s also a disparity of wages between men and women. Today, women earn 75% of the income of men. Research conducted suggest that mothers are 44% less likely to be hired than women with otherwise identical resumes, experience, and qualifications, and if hired are offered on an average $11,000 a year less than women without children. On the other hand, men without children earn on an average $7,500 less than men with children. Discrimination in juvenile justice system- The Juvenile Justice System was established in the late 1800s. Juvenile did not have much Constitutional rights until recently when the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Control Act was established in 1968. The act was created to help juveniles who are in danger of becoming delinquent by providing assistance. The juvenile justice system is separate from the adult criminal court system. African American juveniles are overrepresented in the Juvenile justice system. Statistics show that the criminal justice system discriminates against racial minorities. Racial disparities questions the treatment of juveniles by the police, courts/juvenile justice system . Cases are affected by race in the front end of the system. Black males are more likely to be detained compared to whites. USA Today article indicates that minorities fare worse in traffic stops. Police use more force against Blacks and Hispanics. Report concludes with disturbing disparities as to what happens to minorities after the stop. Recommendations for the criminal justice system include; building accountability in the exercise of discretion by police and prosecutors, and improve the diversity of low enforcement personnel. Other recommendations include; improving the collection of criminal justice data relevant to racial consequences of criminal convictions. Minorities-The USA Patriot Act was passed after September 11, 2006 when the United States was attacked by terrorist. The act was passed on October 26, 2001 by members of the congress. â€Å"The Patriot Act stretches terrorism laws to include domestic terrorism which can cause political organizations to surveillance, wiretapping, harassment, and criminal action (Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act) 2001)†. Law enforcement can conduct secret searches at their will. They can have access to medical, financial, mental health and student records with minimal oversight. Many feel that new legislation and enforcement of The Patriot Act takes away our freedom and some feel that this will protect us and possibly prevent another attack. There are many disadvantages of The Patriot Act. Many Arabs and Asian immigrants have been interrogated not for a wrong act but because of religion or ethnic background. New Federal Executive Branch actions have discriminated Arabs and Asians. Thousands of Asian and Arab men have been held in custody for weeks and months, without any charges filed against them. An action such as these by the government is supported by The Patriot Act yet it threatens the First Amendment which is supposed to protect our freedom of religion, speech assembly, and the press. It also threatens the fourth Amendment which is freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. There is a lack of information within the patriot act that shows evidence that this act was a major reason for September 11 terrorist attacks. This act is an invasion of privacy with inadequate security benefits. The government is given the opportunity and power to investigate and search people’s homes without good cause. Inaccurate information collected by the government can be kept on file permanently and viewed by law enforcement officers. This personal and flawed information can be used against the American citizen to create hardship. A file can be created not based on criminal actions or misconduct but based on suspicion. It is evident the Patriot act threatens some of the amendments in the bill of rights and invades our privacy. There are many pros and cons to The Patriot Act. Citizens have to give up some individual rights in results of saving lives. The Act is meant to protect the U.S. society, civil rights and liberty. Liberty has to be sacrificed to obtain security. Community policing can address the fear that an individual citizen experiences after any act â€Å"Instead of de-emphasizing community policing efforts, police departments should realize that community policing may be more important than ever in dealing with terrorism in their communities (Homeland Security)†. Despite the progress and transition that our country has experienced, unfortunately sexism and racial disparities still exist within the criminal justice system. References Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act) Act of 2001. Retrieved Aug 14, 2009 from: www.eff.org/censorship.terrorism.militias Despite Democrats Opposition, House Reauthorizes Patriot Act. Retrieved August 14, 2008 from: http://proquest.umi.com. www.Aclu.org http://www.homelandsecurity.org