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2003

Criminal statistics

Law and Contemporary Problems

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Law

Drug Wars In Black And White, Joseph E. Kennedy Jul 2003

Drug Wars In Black And White, Joseph E. Kennedy

Law and Contemporary Problems

The debate over the racial complexion of the war against drugs often devolves into a clash of fundamental assumptions that are difficult to either validate or refute. Ultimately, however, the criminal justice system is destined to find crime only where it looks for crime.


The Reality Of Racial Disparity In Criminal Justice: The Significance Of Data Collection, David A. Harris Jul 2003

The Reality Of Racial Disparity In Criminal Justice: The Significance Of Data Collection, David A. Harris

Law and Contemporary Problems

Criminologists have long debated the presence of racial disparity at various places in the criminal justice system, from initial on-the-street encounters between citizens and police officers to the sentencing behavior of judges. What is new is the use of statistics designed to persuade the public, and not just other academics and researchers, that grave racial disparities exist in the system, and that these disparities necessitate significant policy changes.


Race, Crime, And Institutional Design, Erik Luna Jul 2003

Race, Crime, And Institutional Design, Erik Luna

Law and Contemporary Problems

Minorities are gravely overrepresented in every stage of the criminal process--from pedestrian and automobile stops, to searches and seizures, to arrests and convictions, to incarceration and capital punishment. While racial data can provide a snapshot of the current state of affairs, such information rarely satisfies questions of causation, and usually only sets the scene for normative theory.


Study Habits: Probing Modern Attempts To Assess Minority Offender Disproportionality, Sharon L. Davies Jul 2003

Study Habits: Probing Modern Attempts To Assess Minority Offender Disproportionality, Sharon L. Davies

Law and Contemporary Problems

Oregon, Washington and Utah have recently taken empirical steps to assess the extent to which minorities are overrepresented in their respective criminal justice systems and to seek out the root causes of any overrepresentation observed. Davies contrasts and critiques the disparate analytical approaches utilized by these states and offers some thoughts about how people might improve the chances of success of future similar efforts.