Jayla Fleming

Professor McDonald
English 102-13
April 12, 2016
Termination of Unfair Sentencing
Unfair sentencing in the criminal justice system must conclude. People who
make unethical decisions should be held to the same accountability as any other person would be
regardless of their race, ethnicity, cultural background, occupation, gender or social status. In this
society it seems as though legislative laws are specifically targeting black males. With mass
incarceration on the rise the African American community is suffering greatly for its side effects.
Multiple studies within the last decade have shown proof of disproportionate incarceration of
African American males as well as needed reform in the law enforcement and prison systems.
For example when analyzing statistics studies have shown that sentences imposed on African
American males in the federal justice system are nearly 20 percent longer than those imposed on
white males convicted of similar crimes. Although blacks constitute only 13 percent of the U.S.
population, 56.4 percent of those are serving life without parole and 56.1 percent of those who
received life without parole committed as a juvenile. Studies also show that unfair sentencing
can be a direct effect of over patrolling in areas of high poverty rate and minority dominate areas.
In New York City a research project exhibited how 72% of the arrest made in city came from
only 7 of the 55 communities that the city contains. Also drugs such as crack cocaine which is
commonly found in African American neighborhoods has more than 100 times the minimal
sentencing of powder cocaine which is more prevalently used by Caucasians. These statistics just

serve as proof that we do not live in a post-racial generation and that institutional racism is still
present in our current society.

In reality these unfair sentencing have been going on for centuries now, yet
nothing has been done about it. Since nothing has changed it gives people in power like police
officers or judges to continue to make irrational decision. Police in the black community are
more aggressive than in a white community because there first thought is because blacks are
struggling, living in poverty and dont have much money so everything they do is suspect. For
example, there was an incident where a young boy was simply purchasing some candy from a
liquor store and was gunned down for wearing a hoodie and looking suspicious. He was also
murdered for being black. On the other hand in a white community that would have been simply
paid no mind. Police officers in the black community make assumptions about anything because
of racial profiling. Prejudice gestures need to come to a halt. Everyone should be held
accountable at the same standards of the next person, not depending on social status, gender,
race, or occupation. One would hope that a country founded on the backs of the oppressed would
refrain from the mistreatment of someone else. We can no longer ignore the problem of mass
incarceration of African American males. Instead we must work together to formulate solutions.

Work Cited

Roberts, Dorothy E. "The social and moral cost of mass incarceration in African American
communities." Stanford Law Review (2004): 1271-1305.

Kurtzleben, Danielle. Data Show Racial Disparity in Crack Sentencing US News and World
Report (2010).