Jamie Claeson
AAF 201
June 2, 2015
Critical Essay
An Exploration into the Punitive Disparities of the Elevated Incarceration Rate of
African Americans
The international covenant on civil and political rights states that all citizens
must be treated equally under law. However, according to recent data retrieved from
the United States government, “African Americans are more likely to spend time
behind bars than their white counterparts.” (Knafo). “Despite legal protections for
minorities, racism continues to pose a serious problem for society.” (Of). Today, over
150 years after the abolishment of slavery, African Americans continue to be
disproportionately imprisoned at a significantly higher rate than their white
equivalents.
This critical essay will be guided by the following research questions: 1)
During the incarceration process in today’s American prisons, how are African
Americans sentenced differently that white people? 2) How does the number of
African Americans currently incarcerated relate to the overall African American
population? 3) How does the number of whites currently incarcerated relate to the
overall white population? 4) Is this apparent racial disparity diminishing with time,
or worsening? 5) What must be done to diminish this racial disparity?
Based off of the multitude of statistics provided by the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People, it is blatantly evident that African
Americans are not receiving the same treatment as their white counterparts. For
example, “African Americans now constitute nearly 1 million of the total 2.3 million
incarcerated population.” (Criminal Justice Fact Sheet). African Americans are also
incarcerated at about six times the rate of white people. As of 2001, one in six black
men had been incarcerated. According to the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, if this trend continues, one out of every three black
males born today can expect to spend time in prison during his lifetime. While
African Americans only make up about 12-13% of today’s American population,
“Nationwide, African Americans represent 26% of juvenile arrests, 44% of youth
who are detained, 46% of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court, and
58% of the youth admitted to state prisons.” (Criminal Justice Fact Sheet).
