Ethnicity and crime (explanations for differences)
In 2008, the Ministry of Justice reported that, compared to white people: Afro Caribbean people were
more likely to be arrested for robbery, 3 x more likely to be cautioned, 5 x more likely to be in prison
etc.. Asian people were: 2 x as likely to be stopped and searched, more likely to receive a custodial
sentence if found guilty etc..
Neo Marxist ideas (Gilroy) -young black people
are targeted by the media and the police,
however black crime is different because it is
against colonialism etc. it is political and
potentially revolutionary, a political response to
inequality and discrimination
2 main strands of thought
structionalist view: they are more criminal
social constructionist: the justice system is unfair
Marxist ideas: Hall et al (1978)
Britain was facing crisis during the 70s (protests, high unemployment etc)
This = a threat to hegemony
At the same time was a growing conflict between police
and the afro Caribbean community (increased by selective
publication of crime statistics)
economic conditions were bad and the gov needed a scapegoat
Reasons for high criminality of Afro Caribbean people: (structural)
Lea and Young (left realists) were the first criminologists to acknowledge that black people were actually more likely to be involved in street crime.
Reasons
Marginalisation
Young unemployed black people are
marginalised in that they are
unorganised and have few pressure
groups to lobby on their behalf, so
their frustrations are more likely to
be expressed in illegal activity
Relative deprivation
Minorities suffer relative deprivation not
only in areas shared with sections of the
white working class (high unemployment
and poor environment), but also racial
discrimination and racially motivated
attacks
sub cultural response
Sub cultural responses include the
hustling subculture described by
the Pryce in his ethnographic
study of St Paul's in Bristol, with
young black people involved in
petty street crime, drug dealing
and prostitution, getting by from
day to day.
Left realists don't believe that racism in
the police can account for higher crime
rates because black people have a higher
offending rate than Asians
Other reasons for high criminality
Educational success: 2006, only 23% of
Afro Caribbean boys achieved 5 GCSEs.
This affects self confidence,
employability etc.
Family structure: 60% of young
black males live with one
parent (usually mother). Single
families tend to be worse off.
Mass media: Influence of Rap Artists.
New right and Conservatives argue
that rap encourages "Bling, Violence
and Criminality". However, it is
questionable to blame one form of
entertainment
Unfair treatment and Racism
Labelling and Stereotyping: Reiner
(2000) Canteen Culture amongst police,
including: suspicion, macho values and
racism, which encourages racist
stereotypes and mistrust of those from
non white backgrounds
Poverty, social exclusions and identity: Bowling and Phillips (2002)
Higher levels of robbery among black people could be the product of
labelling the arises from the use of regular stop and search procedures,
which turn into self fulfilling prophecy
Waddington 2004 published in the British
Journal of Criminology argues that the police do
stop a proportionately higher number of black
people compared to white people. However, this
could be due to geographical locations and heavier
police influence in certain areas.
Stephen Lawrence
A black teenager born 1974 from Eltham, Southeast London,
was stabbed to death whilst waiting fora bus on the
evening of 22nd April 1993. After the initial investigation, 5
suspects were arrested but never convicted. It was
suggested during the course of the investigation that the
murder had a racist motive and that Stephen Lawrence was
murdered because he was black, and that the handling of
the case by the police and crown prosecution service was
affected by issues of race leading to an inquiry. in 1999, an
inquiry headed by Sir W Macpherson examined the met
investigation and concluded that the force was
institutionally racist.
Policing: many allegations of oppressive policing from minority ethnic communities are made
Stop and Search: lots of stop and search is perhaps due to racism and targeting
Arrests and Cautions: more likely to be arrested and cautioned perhaps due to a mistrust of police and not admitting to offences
Prosecution and Conviction: crown prosecution service more likely to drop causes against ethnic minorities
Sentencing and Prison: custodial sentences more likely to be given to black offenders
Victimisation: police recorded 61,000 racist incidents whilst the BCS reports 184,000 many go unreported.
People from mixed ethnic backgrounds were more likely to be victims of crime