Race Matters: Unequal Opportunity within Criminal Justice

Summary

Racial equity is not easy to attain if intentional and unintended bias are not addressed. This 2006 fact sheet brings awareness to the racial profiling issue in the criminal justice system, shows the consequences of unintended and unchecked actions, and presents policy strategies to mitigate the problems and bring equal opportunity to all. This brief is part of a comprehensive Race Matters toolkit. For more information, visit the Race Matters Institute. 

Key Takeaway

Working class, low-income urban minority neighborhoods were the most likely to be impacted by arrest, incarceration and re-entry

Unfounded minority arrests and convictions promoted the belief that minorities commit more crimes, which in turn lead to more minority racial profiling and more minority arrests at the time of this report.