Global Citizenship Programme
Exploring Inequalities Within the Criminal Justice System Namisha Chadha, Vicky Meaby and Palestrina Rolle-George n Wednesday 15th February, students from different colleges joined the race, crime and justice forum in an endeavour to explore the inequalities embedded within the criminal justice system of the United Kingdom. Light was shed upon the racial disparities at many stages of arrest, charging, prosecution and imprisonment. The occasion was graced by the presence of Dr. Anthony Amatrudo, an Associate Professor of Criminology at Middlesex University, and Durham University’s very own Professor Roger Smith. Dr. Anthony Amatrudo gave interesting insights into ‘Joint Enterprise and Racist Typology of Gangs’. He enlightened us on the extent to which the ‘gang’ discourses influence the process of ‘criminalization’ of the Black and Asian Minority Ethnic Groups. Attention was drawn towards the lack of knowledge at present on the implications of using causal mechanisms when discussing ethnic variations and sex differences in offending. Whilst certain factors are often identified such as family conflict, lack of opportunities, drugs and alcohol – this is within a context of social constructions of delinquency and crime, which skews the focus of study. A result of this is the perpetration of violence is not affiliated with ‘race’ or ‘ethnicity’ in the same ways that are currently perceived by the strategies employed by police when prosecuting violent individuals. He appositely concluded that prosecution of serious violence using the ‘gang’
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paradigm undermines justice and raises questions of procedural (un)fairness within these groups. A quote from the former Prime Minister David Cameron was highlighted, who remarked, “If you’re black, you’re more likely to be in a prison cell than studying at a top university. And if you’re black, it seems you’re more likely to be sentenced to custody for a crime than if you’re white. We should investigate why this is and how we can end this possible discrimination.” The Bromley Briefings (Prison Reform Trust) stated that 26% of the prison population are from a minority ethnic group, which compares to the 14% of the general population. The likelihood of receiving a custodial sentence was also found to be significantly higher for non-white ethnic groups. Professor Roger Smith voiced his concerns over the unequal treatment meted out in the justice system. The presentation highlighted ideas about inequality within the justice system and the persistence of institutional racism. He brought to the forefront along with these startling statistics on the ‘race’ as a focal point for inequality, and argued against the over-representation of Black and Asian minority individuals. During the question-answer session, a student questioned how the problem could be combated and was met with silence. This is symbolic of the sad state of affairs we face at present where a solution is not readily at hand. We would like to thank all who attended the talk and urge you to come along for our future events.
Photo credit: Alexandra Verzuh
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