Assignment on Discrimination in Sentencing in US
Added on 2022-09-10
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Running Head: DISCRIMINATION IN SENTENSING IN US
Discrimination in Sentencing in US
Student’s Name
Institution
Date
Discrimination in Sentencing in US
Student’s Name
Institution
Date
DISCRIMINATION IN SENTENSING IN US 2
In the modern world, it is believed that the prison is engaged in the correction of
criminals: after all, the violator of the law, which harmed society, must be somehow punished
and sent to the true path. Of course, the fight against dissent is not the only purpose of the prison,
but in the USA, for example, it is completely secondary: among Americans, the percentage of
dissenters is extremely small. As long as the middle class has the opportunity to buy good cars
and cheap gasoline, intangible goods like freedom are of no interest to anyone. Among my
acquaintances, those who are most passionate about consumption are most prone to fascism and
totalitarianism (Frazier et al 2015). Americans peck at everything: whether it’s the lie of the most
vulgar of politicians or another cheap plastic shit from Walmart. The myth that prisons are
created for the good of society holds on the same principles. What the prisons in the USA really
are for is to infringe on the rights of blacks, Latinos and representatives of indigenous peoples.
The latter are planted in such quantities that often there are more representatives of one or
another age group behind bars than they are at large. Moreover, sometimes they are imprisoned
for such not so serious misconduct as, for example, drug possession, for which in the USA it is
quite possible to get a life sentence. Prisons also provide government organizations and military
enterprises with cheap labor with less than a dollar per hour (Gee & Ford 2011). But this is often
not enough even to cover the cost of living in prison. In fact, a loophole has been deliberately left
in the constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery. However, this paper will focus mainly on
the discrimination in sentencing in US. It will explore such aspects as the underlying cause of
discrimination and who are discriminated.
First, US criminal justice system is affected by institutional racism. That is why those who go to
prison are specific groups. Contrary to a widespread stereotype, the majority of prisoners are by
no means “notorious killers and repeat offenders”. In prisons, mainly representatives of national
In the modern world, it is believed that the prison is engaged in the correction of
criminals: after all, the violator of the law, which harmed society, must be somehow punished
and sent to the true path. Of course, the fight against dissent is not the only purpose of the prison,
but in the USA, for example, it is completely secondary: among Americans, the percentage of
dissenters is extremely small. As long as the middle class has the opportunity to buy good cars
and cheap gasoline, intangible goods like freedom are of no interest to anyone. Among my
acquaintances, those who are most passionate about consumption are most prone to fascism and
totalitarianism (Frazier et al 2015). Americans peck at everything: whether it’s the lie of the most
vulgar of politicians or another cheap plastic shit from Walmart. The myth that prisons are
created for the good of society holds on the same principles. What the prisons in the USA really
are for is to infringe on the rights of blacks, Latinos and representatives of indigenous peoples.
The latter are planted in such quantities that often there are more representatives of one or
another age group behind bars than they are at large. Moreover, sometimes they are imprisoned
for such not so serious misconduct as, for example, drug possession, for which in the USA it is
quite possible to get a life sentence. Prisons also provide government organizations and military
enterprises with cheap labor with less than a dollar per hour (Gee & Ford 2011). But this is often
not enough even to cover the cost of living in prison. In fact, a loophole has been deliberately left
in the constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery. However, this paper will focus mainly on
the discrimination in sentencing in US. It will explore such aspects as the underlying cause of
discrimination and who are discriminated.
First, US criminal justice system is affected by institutional racism. That is why those who go to
prison are specific groups. Contrary to a widespread stereotype, the majority of prisoners are by
no means “notorious killers and repeat offenders”. In prisons, mainly representatives of national
DISCRIMINATION IN SENTENSING IN US 3
minorities, poor people, people who have not committed crimes related to violence. A bit of
visual statistics. The so-called "colored" make up about a quarter of the total US population, their
share in US prisons is 65%; 44% of the total number of prisoners are black. Moreover, the
majority of prison staff (about 65%) are representatives of the white race (Krieger et al 2012).
More than 75% of people in jail were unable to afford a lawyer and used the services of a lawyer
provided by the state during the trial. 64% of prisoners in 1996 had a monthly income below the
subsistence level, 36% were unemployed. 70% of those sentenced to serve sentences in 1998
were convicted of non-violent crimes. In some states, many prisoners continue to be imprisoned
for violating conditions that are necessary for early release. Only a few of them are “murderers
and rapists”. Many prisoners convicted of violent crimes are mentally ill people who did not
have access to the treatment they needed. The number of people serving sentences in federal
prisons for violating immigration rules is greater than the number who ended up there for other
offenses. In some states, many prisoners continue to be imprisoned for violating conditions that
are necessary for early release. Only a few of them are “murderers and rapists”. Many prisoners
convicted of violent crimes are mentally ill people who did not have access to the treatment they
needed. The number of people serving sentences in federal prisons for violating immigration
rules is greater than the number who ended up there for other offenses. In some states, many
prisoners continue to be imprisoned for violating conditions that are necessary for early release.
Only a few of them are “murderers and rapists”. Many prisoners convicted of violent crimes are
mentally ill people who did not have access to the treatment they needed. The number of people
serving sentences in federal prisons for violating immigration rules is greater than the number
who ended up there for other offenses.
minorities, poor people, people who have not committed crimes related to violence. A bit of
visual statistics. The so-called "colored" make up about a quarter of the total US population, their
share in US prisons is 65%; 44% of the total number of prisoners are black. Moreover, the
majority of prison staff (about 65%) are representatives of the white race (Krieger et al 2012).
More than 75% of people in jail were unable to afford a lawyer and used the services of a lawyer
provided by the state during the trial. 64% of prisoners in 1996 had a monthly income below the
subsistence level, 36% were unemployed. 70% of those sentenced to serve sentences in 1998
were convicted of non-violent crimes. In some states, many prisoners continue to be imprisoned
for violating conditions that are necessary for early release. Only a few of them are “murderers
and rapists”. Many prisoners convicted of violent crimes are mentally ill people who did not
have access to the treatment they needed. The number of people serving sentences in federal
prisons for violating immigration rules is greater than the number who ended up there for other
offenses. In some states, many prisoners continue to be imprisoned for violating conditions that
are necessary for early release. Only a few of them are “murderers and rapists”. Many prisoners
convicted of violent crimes are mentally ill people who did not have access to the treatment they
needed. The number of people serving sentences in federal prisons for violating immigration
rules is greater than the number who ended up there for other offenses. In some states, many
prisoners continue to be imprisoned for violating conditions that are necessary for early release.
Only a few of them are “murderers and rapists”. Many prisoners convicted of violent crimes are
mentally ill people who did not have access to the treatment they needed. The number of people
serving sentences in federal prisons for violating immigration rules is greater than the number
who ended up there for other offenses.
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