Post by ck4829 on Dec 23, 2016 12:05:53 GMT
Study finds you're more likely to be locked up if you're black or Hispanic
When a criminal sentence is handed down, a black or Hispanic person in Massachusetts is more likely to be given jail or prison time than a white person, according to data released Wednesday by a nonpartisan task force reviewing the state's criminal justice system.
White people, meanwhile, are more likely to have their case continued without a finding, which means their conviction will be dismissed if they successfully complete probation.
Researchers were unable, however, to determine why the disparities exist -- whether, for example, the differences are a product of bias or because defendants from those populations commit more serious crimes or have more extensive criminal histories.
"What we provide scratches the surface of race and the criminal justice system," said Katie Mosehauer, project manager for the Council of State Governments Justice Center.
The Council of State Governments is a nonprofit that has been working with a task force of senior policymakers and criminal justice officials in Massachusetts to develop recommendations for how to reduce recidivism.
The group has faced criticism for its lack of racial diversity and lack of focus on racial disparities. The report released Monday provided some insight into the racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system, although researchers cautioned the data they used was limited, and more study is necessary to determine the reasons behind the disparities.
"We can show that disproportionality exists," Mosehauer said. "It makes you raise your eyebrows. We can't answer the why."
The state court system is partnering with Harvard Law School's Criminal Justice Policy Program to study racial disparities in sentencing in the adult criminal justice system. That study is expected to begin in 2017 and could provide more insight.
www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/12/report_blacks_hispanics_more_l.html
When a criminal sentence is handed down, a black or Hispanic person in Massachusetts is more likely to be given jail or prison time than a white person, according to data released Wednesday by a nonpartisan task force reviewing the state's criminal justice system.
White people, meanwhile, are more likely to have their case continued without a finding, which means their conviction will be dismissed if they successfully complete probation.
Researchers were unable, however, to determine why the disparities exist -- whether, for example, the differences are a product of bias or because defendants from those populations commit more serious crimes or have more extensive criminal histories.
"What we provide scratches the surface of race and the criminal justice system," said Katie Mosehauer, project manager for the Council of State Governments Justice Center.
The Council of State Governments is a nonprofit that has been working with a task force of senior policymakers and criminal justice officials in Massachusetts to develop recommendations for how to reduce recidivism.
The group has faced criticism for its lack of racial diversity and lack of focus on racial disparities. The report released Monday provided some insight into the racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system, although researchers cautioned the data they used was limited, and more study is necessary to determine the reasons behind the disparities.
"We can show that disproportionality exists," Mosehauer said. "It makes you raise your eyebrows. We can't answer the why."
The state court system is partnering with Harvard Law School's Criminal Justice Policy Program to study racial disparities in sentencing in the adult criminal justice system. That study is expected to begin in 2017 and could provide more insight.
www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/12/report_blacks_hispanics_more_l.html