Justice Unequal for Virginia Blacks, Panel Finds

Melton, R.H. (2000, April). Justice Unequal for Virginia Blacks, Panel Finds. Washington Post Staff Writer

, p. C1.

OVERVIEW

 

(Download Justice Unequal for VA Blacks as a PDF)

A recent report from a federally charted civil rights group claims that Virginia’s criminal justice system continues to punish African Americans more harshly than others, overloading courts and prisons with blacks at rates that have reached "a crisis level." According to the 15-member Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

:

 

For many blacks, ‘the promise of equal protection under law dims gradually from sight’ as law enforcement ‘weighs heavily on African American aspirations.’ The civil rights committee interpreted state police data to suggest that Virginia criminal arrests tend to be ‘disproportional by race.’ For example, in 1997, half of all major felony arrests were of blacks, who make up about one-fifth of the state population. Whites, though, were arrested in more manslaughter, burglary and arson cases that year and for all crimes in general in 1997—a total of 234,441 arrests. By contrast, 170,513 blacks were arrested during the same period.

 

The report was prompted by a nationally publicized 1993 arrest of basketball star Allen Iverson in Hampton: "The arrest quickly escalated into a cause celebre for local black residents, who rallied around the teenager regarded as one of the finest high school athletes in the country."

 

The report criticizes the treatment of blacks in sentencing and the restoration of voting rights for felons, and said police use racial profiling techniques:

 

‘overwhelmingly disproportionate numbers of African Americans are under criminal supervision, overloading the criminal justice system in Virginia to a crisis level,’ the committee said. ‘Inherent biases continue, from police, prosecutors and judges,’ Patrick said. ‘At each level, blacks have borne the burden of inequity.’

 

The report indicates that, at least for Virginia, white supremacy in the justice system still means injustice for blacks.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. If a higher percentage of blacks are arrested than whites, does this indicate injustice in the criminal justice system?
2. If not, what would it take to prove unjust practices in the system?
3. Are profiling and other discriminating features of criminal justice examples of personal prejudice or institutional racism—or both?
4.  

1. Do you think these racist practices in the justice system are prevalent in all the states, or just in Virginia?

 

IMPLICATIONS

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• It is hard to determine what is racist practice in the justice system and what justice is meted out in a color blind fashion.

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• It seems that racism continues to affect arrests and sentencing in the criminal justice system, which puts African-Americans under tougher standards than whites.

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1. Constant vigilance is needed to monitor racist practices in the justice system and in other branches of the government.

Martin Clewis cCYS