Race crime and justice M3 peer discussion

must respond to the posts of other students at least twice. Excellent posts will be supported by evidence from the course materials, offer new substantiated ideas, and encourage discussion.

ANSWER

Race Crime and Justice M3 Peer Discussion

I agree with Beth that the Ferguson Courts violated the constitution by putting revenue over public safety. The courts violated the 14^th amendment of the constitution on equal protection (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018). The Ferguson courts violated the equal protection clause by maintaining a dual system of justice that resulted in disparate outcomes for black and white residents. The Ferguson court’s sentencing practices were particularly egregious, as they often imposed harsher punishments on black defendants than white defendants for the same offenses. They collected revenue for the city through fines and fees imposed disproportionately on black residents, and these practices contributed to the unrest in Ferguson following the shooting of Michael brown.

The Ferguson courts and police have exposed Blacks to discrimination and injustice in law enforcement. The Ferguson report revealed that the police were using inappropriate force towards the Blacks and with arrests of non-probable cause. For instance, Blacks would be stopped for checks more than whites (Ordower et al., 2017). The judges were more likely to dismiss white cases than Blacks. Relatively, the Blacks would receive more warrants, making it easy for them to be arrested.

I agree with Beth that the law should be applied equally to all American citizens despite their background, race, or social status. The Ferguson courts should be transparent and fair to everyone, with clear and accurate information about the charges. The Ferguson courts should not have a dual system of justice where one race is punished more harshly than another for the same crime. The revenue collected by the courts should be used to benefit the city, not just one group of people. The court should also introduce payment of fines without a person having to appear in court and remain transparent on the payment plan to create trust and eliminate discrimination in the criminal justice system. The selection of juries should also prevent racial discrimination, although a defendant is not entitled to having a jury that is completely a person of their race.

References

Gabbidon, S. L., & Greene, H. T. (2018). Race and crime. Sage Publications.

Ordower, H., Onesimo Sandoval, J. S., & Warren, K. (2017). Out of Ferguson: Misdemeanors, municipal courts, tax distribution, and constitutional limitations. Howard LJ, 61, 113.