Article
Racial discrimination in the criminal justice system: Findings and problems in the literature

https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2352(96)00015-3Get rights and content

Abstract

Race-based conflict theory predicts substantial, institutionalized discrimination against minorities within criminal justice systems. This article examines the nature and extent of racial discrimination by police, courts, and correctional agencies in the United States. The body of research analyzed points to racial effects at certain points in the criminal justice system and in certain social contexts, but it also suggests that discrimination is less extensive than what is anticipated by conflict theory. In critically evaluating the literature, the article also points to a number of methodological and analytical deficiencies that require attention in future research—problems, which, if rectified, may lead to documentation of more subtle forms of discrimination and identification of important contextual factors.

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