Connecticut’s Division of Criminal Justice had released an interesting study that highlights the reality of racial disparities within the state’s criminal justice system. The findings tell us that Black and Hispanic defendants who have no prior convictions are 6% and 5% more likely to be convicted of crimes in comparison to white defendants.
Claudine Fox, advocacy and policy director for the Connecticut Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, noted the following:
“From policing to re-entry, the criminal justice system is set up to harm Black and Latinx people who are disproportionately living with criminal records in Connecticut already. Any claims that the Chief State’s Attorney is making about disparities disappearing when they factor in a record of conviction, shows the exact opposite. It proves that the system is doubling down on itself and the racial disparities already within it.”
Studies like this are important in deeming racial bias as a harsh reality. When we know the figures, and we know that they’re indisputable, that’s when we’re able to make changes to repair the system’s flaws. Though every defendant has their own case specifics, we as a society can’t ignore shocking disparities. The sobering statistics lead to economic disparities, as unfair incarceration of minority communities can lead to a vicious cycle of recidivism and poverty.
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