8/12/2019 Racism Institutionalized: A Look at the Criminal Justice System

1/4

8/12/2019 Racism Institutionalized: A Look at the Criminal Justice System

2/4

TBO _L^VOMODOLTODOR^CH]JHL HAJLMGVMOVGTJHLVGTO] JL TBJ]MH_LTVZ_LDOV]MHVO]TBO JE^GMT HAJL]TJT_TJHLGCVGMJ]E.

Vgmo hatol dotorejlos tbo gdejljstrgt jhl ha tbo mrjejlgc ustjmo systoe

jl tbjs mhultry; bhwovor, jepcoeoltjli tbo Mhlvoltjhl hl tbo Ocjejlgt jhl

ha Vgmjgc Djsmrjejlgtjhl mgl x egly sbhrtmhejlis. Tbjs jltorlgtjhlgc

mhlvoltjhl gddrossos fhtb djromt gld jldj romt rgmjse fy prhbjfjtjli cgws

gld prgmtjmos tbgt bgvo g rgmjgccy djsmrjejlgthry jepgmt.

Jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse hmmurs wbol ulwgrrgltod djspgrgto trogteolt js

mhdjod wjtbjl tbo strumturgc agfrjm ha shmjgc jlstjtutjhls gld egljaosts

wjtbhut tbo lood ahr g spomjm porshl th porpotugto g djsmrjejlgthry

gmt. Tbo Georjmgl Fgr G sshmjgtjhl romhiljzod tbj s pbolheolhl jl 7::4

jl jts ]ueejt hl Vgmjgc gld Otbljm Fjgs jl tbo @ustjmo ]ystoe gs stgtutos,

rucos, phcjmjos, prhmoduros, prgmtjmos, ovolts, mhldumt gld htbor agmthrs,

hporgtjli gchlo hr thiotbor, tbgt bgvo g djsprhphrtjhlgto jepgmt uphl

hlo hr ehro porshls/pohpco ha mhchr. Tbo ]ueejt mhlmcudod tb gt fjgs

jl gly ha tbo mhephlolts ha tbo systoe rogmbos jlth gld gmtugccy hrpormoptugccy, mhltgejlgtos tbo systoe gs g wbhco. Tbo ]ueejts

doljtjhl wgs lht cjejtod th jltoltjhlgc jlstglmos ha gmtjvo fjgs fut

oxtoldod th pgssjvo fjgs gs wocc, wbjmb bgs g systoejm oomt hl tbo

jltoirjty ha tbo gdejljstrgtjhl ha `ustjmo gs g wbhco.

Tbo ulpromodoltod oxpchsjhl ha jlmgrmorgtjhl rgtos jl tbjs mhultry

uldorsmhros tbo jepgmt ha jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse. Jl tbo _.]., ehro tbgl

twh ejccjhl eol gld wheol sjt jl prjshl gld gjc. Ehro tbgl bgca ha tbjs

phpucgtjhl js fcgmk ovol tbhuib Garjmgl Georjmgls egko up hlcy 7=

pormolt ha tbo thtgc _.]. phpucgtjhl. Egkjli egttors whrso, pohpco ha

mhchr egko up 9? pormolt ha gcc porshls jlmgrmorgtod hl drui mbgrios.

Gmmhrdjli th tbo Dopgrteolt ha @ustjmo, 7 jl = fcgmk fhys fhrl thdgy wjcc

spold tjeo jl prjshl. Tbjs gstrhlhejmgc jlmgrmorgtjhl rgto rostomts tbo

ulmhlsmjhus jlstjtutjhlgc gld strumturgc phcjmjos gld prgmtjmos tbgt

mbgrgmtorjzo tbo jldjromt lgturo ha 67st moltury rgmjse.

^hcjmjos gld prgmtjmos gs wocc gs coigc dhmtrjlo rostomt tbjs suftco gld

jlsjdjhus rgmjse. Jl 7:29, tbo ahreor ^bjcgdocpbjg Djstrjmt Gtthrloy,

@gmk EmEgbhl, dovochpod g trgjljli vjdoh hl bhw th socomt g `ury. Jl

tbo tgpo EmEgbhl, wbh wgs gl gssjstglt DG gt tbo tjeo, djromtod bjs

rhhkjo prhsomuthrs th mjrmuevolt tbo cgw fy dolyjli mortgjl mjtjzols

tbo mbglmo th sorvo hl g `ury wbjco agvhrjli htbors.

[TUbo hlcy wgy th dh yhur fost js th iot `urhrs tbgt gro gs ulagjr gld ehro

cjkocy th mhlvjmt tbgl glyfhdy ocso jl tb gt rhhe. EmEgbhl tguibt tbgt

`urhrs wbh woro ospomjgccy fgd jlmcudod yhuli fcgmk wheol gld chw-

jlmheo fcgmks. ^rhsomuthrs bgd th kjmk tboe haa ha `urjos wjtbhut tbo

gppogrglmo ha vjhcgtjli tbo cgw. Gppogrglmos egttorod fomguso jl 7:21,

jl gl gttoept th jltrhdumo ehro agjrloss th tbo mrjejlgc `ustjmo systoe,

tbo _.]. ]uproeo Mhurt bgd rucod tbgt cgwyors mhucd lh chlior strjko

phtoltjgc `urhrs fomguso ha tbojr rgmo. Gctbhuib EmEgbhl wgs hlcy hlo

prhsomuthr jl hlo mjty, bjs `ur y socomtjhl trgjljli eotbhds woro

jlstjtutjhlgcjzod tbrhuibhut bjs hmo gld, gmmhrdjli th bje, woro gmmoptod

prjlmjpcos roprosoltgtjvo ha prgmtjmos ha tbo wjsdhe ha tbo gios.

Voigrdcoss ha wbotbor tboy djsgirood wjtb EmEgbhls gpprhgmb, low

prhsomuthrs mhucd fo hut ha g `hf ja tboy agjcod th ahcchw tbo mucturgc lhres.

EmEgbhls tgmtjms woro lht jshcgtod th tbo ^bjcgdocpbjg djstrjmt gtthrloys

hmo. Vgmjse wgs strumturgccy oefoddod jl prhsomuthrs hmos tbrhuibhuttbo mhultry, phssjfcy jepgmtjli tbo hutmheo ha mhultcoss mgsos. :

8/12/2019 Racism Institutionalized: A Look at the Criminal Justice System

3/4

Vgmjgc

&

OtbljmI

rhups

Jl 6>>9, 26.9 pormolt ha tbhso soltolmod aodorgccy ahr mrgmk

mhmgjlo haaolsos woro fcgmk.

Htbor mgusos ha jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse mgl fo ahuld jl cgws tbgt chhk agjr,

fut gmtugccy bgvo g djsmrjejlgthry jepgmt. Tbo ehst stgirglt oxgepco

js tbo chli-tjeo djspgrjty jl mhmgjlo soltolmjli. Ahr logrcy g qugrtor ha

g moltury, pohpco mhlvjmtod ha mrgmk mhmgjlo holsos woro trogtod ehro

sovorocy tbgl phwdor mhmgjlo holdors. Jl wbgt fomgeo klhwl gs tbo7>>-th-7 qugltjty rgtjh, jt thhk 7>> tjeos ehro phwdor mhmgjlo tbgl

mrgmk mhmgjlo th trjiior bgrsb vo gld tol yogr egldgthry ejljeue

soltolmos. Gctbhuib tbo irogtost luefors ha dhmueoltod mrgmk usors

woro wbjto, lgtjhlgc drui olahrmoeolt gld prhsomuthrjgc prgmtjmos

rosuctod jl tbo wgr hl druis fojli ahuibt gcehst oxmcusjvocy jl jllor

mjty Garjmgl Georjmgl mheeuljtjos. Jl 6>>9, 26.9 pormolt ha tbhso

soltolmod aodorgccy ahr mrgmk mhmgjlo holsos woro fcgmk. Gctbhuib g

6>7> cgw rodumod tbo 7>>-th-7 th 72-th-7, tbo djspgrjty stjcc oxjsts ovol

tbhuib tboro js lh eodjmgc hr smjoltjm ovjdolmo tbgt g djstjlmtjhl oxjs ts

fotwool tbo twh ahres ha tbo sgeo drui. Ybgts mcogr js tbgt Mhlirossdjd lht jltold th djsmrjejlgto hl tbo fgsjs ha rgmo wbol jt djoroltjgtod

fotwool mrgmk gld phwdor mhmgjlo jl 7:21 gld 7:22. Fut tbgt dhos lht

loigto hr cossol tbo jrroautgfco djsmrjejlgthry jepgmt ha tbo cgw.

Tbroo strjkos cgws gc sh mrogto jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse fomguso fcgmks gro

ehro cjkocy th fo prhcod, sthppod, grrostod, prhsomutod gld mhlvjmtod

tbgl wbjtos wbh oligio jl sjejcgr mrjejlgc gmtjvjty. Egkjli egttors

whrso, fcgmks bgvo fool suf`omtod th guthegtjm cjao jeprjshleolt uldor

tbroo strjkos cgws gt djsprhphrtjhlgto rgtos.

Tbo _.]. ]uproeo Mhurt bgs mhephuldod tbo prhfcoes rosuctjli arhe

jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse fomguso jt bgs fool ulwjccjli th tgmkco tbo jssuo.

Ybol gtt hrloys jl tbo 7:29 mgso ha EmMcosk y v. Koep mhlmcusjvocy

doehlstrgtod tbo dhufco stgldgrd ha `ustjmo jl dogtb polgcty mgsos, tbo

Mhurt ru cod tbgt Ygrrol EmMcosky wgs lht oltjtcod th rocjoa ovol tbhuib

jt djd lht djsputo ovjdolmo tbgt rgmo jlstuolmod mgpjtgc soltolmjli mgsos

jl Iohrijg. Hstolsjfcy, tbo Bjib Mhurt rogcjzod ja jt shuibt th roeody

rgmjse jl tbo gppcjmgtjhl ha tbo dogtb polgcty, jt ejibt fo mhlstrgjlod

th cjkowjso roeody rgmjse gt htbor koy stgios ha tbo mrjejlgc `ustjmo

prhmoss gs wocc. Ygrrol EmMcosky wgs oxomutod.

]ovol yogrs cgtor, tbo ]uproeo Mhurt bgd tbo hpphrtuljty th mhlsjdor

tbo koy stgio ha prhsomuthrjgc djsmrotjhl jl _.]. v. Grestrhli. Jl Chs

Gliocos Mhulty, fhtb fcgmk s gld wbjtos woro grrostod hl mrgmk mhmg jlo

mbgrios. Fcgmks wbh woro grrostod woro prhsomutod jl aodorgc mhurtwboro tboy woro suf`omt th colitby egldgthr y ejljeue soltolmos. Tbo

wbjtos woro prhsomutod jl stgto mhurt wbjmb bgd lh egldgthry soltolmos.

Tbo jepgmt ha prhsomuthrjgc domjsjhls hl soltolmjli wgs stgrkg

egxjeue ha vo yogrs ja prhsomutod jl Mgcjahrljg stgto mhurt, mhepgrod

th cjao wjtbhut phssjfjcjty ha pgrhco jl aodorgc mhurt. Dospjto tbo jepgmt

ha tbjs prhsomuthrjgc domjsjhl-egkjli, tbo ]uproeo Mhurt rucod tbgt

doaoldglts mhucd lht romojvo djsmhvory th dotorejlo tbo prhsomuthrs

ehtjvo gs th mbhjmo ha voluo, egkjli jt jephssjfco th prhvo rgmjgccy

djsmrjejlgthry jltolt.

7>

8/12/2019 Racism Institutionalized: A Look at the Criminal Justice System

4/4

Lkombj Tgjag, Osq.

]OLJHV ^HCJMZ GLGCZ]T

H^OL ]HMJOTZ AH_LDGTJHL]

GFH_T TBO G_TBHV

Tbo Mhurt mhucd bgvo romtjod djspgrgto trogteolt jl fhtb tboGrestrhli

gldEmMcoskymgsos fy gppcyjli tbo jltorlgtjhlgccy romhiljzod jepgmt

stgldgrd, gs hpphsod th cjejtjli jtsoca th prhha ha djsmrjejlgthry jltolt.

Tbgt stgldgrd, mhdjod jl tbo Mhlvoltjhl hl tbo Ocjejlgtjhl ha Vgmjgc

Djsmrjejlgtjhl, gcchws cgws gld prgmtjmos tbgt bgvo gl jlvjdjhus

djsmrjejlgthry jepgmt th fo gmtjhlgfco, roigrdcoss ha prhha ha spomjm

jltolt, rogmbjli fhtb mhlsmjhus gld ulmhlsmjhus ahres ha rgmjse. Gctbhuib

tbo _ljtod ]tgtos rgtjod tbjs jltorlgtjhlgc mhlvoltjhl jl 7::4, jt dhos

lht mrogto rjibts djromtcy olahrmogfco jl _.]. mhurts gfsolt jepcoeoltgtjhlha spomjm coijscgtjhl.

Tbo chli-rglio jepcjmgtjhls ha wbgt js jlmrogsjlicy fomhejli tbo mrjej-

lgcjzgtjhl ha g rgmo gro sbuddorjli. Egssjvo jlmgrmorgtjhl wjtb colitby

soltolmos jlvgrjgfcy rosucts jl tbo djsruptjhl gld djsjltoirgtjhl ha agejcjos,

dostgfjcjzgtjhl ha mheeuljtjos, gld djejljsbod cjao prhspomtseogsuros

wbjmb mhefjlo th jlmgrmorgto iolorgtjhls, rosuctjli jl jlmgcmucgfco dgegios.

Gly mhlsjdorgtjhl ha tbo jepgmt ha egss jlmgrmorgtjhl tbgt agjcs th tgko jlth

gmmhult tbo rhco ha jlstjtutjhlgc rgmjse js gl jlsumjolt glgcysjs, gld gly

roeody tbgt dhos lht gmklhwcodio tbo uldorstgldjli tbgt rgmjse egljaosts

jl vgrjhus ahres js domjolt.

Tbo Vgmo Mhlvoltjhl oefhdjos tbo whrcd mheeuljtys oxprossjhl tbgt

rgmjgc gld otbljm fjgs mgl hlcy fo ocjejlgtod ja wo oefrgmo g uljvorsgc,

jltorlgtjhlgc stgldgrd gigjlst djsmrjejlgtjhl. Iujdglmo arhe

jltorlgtjhlgc lhres, spomjmgccy prhvjsjhls ha tbo Vgmo Mhlvoltjhl

grejli tbo sjiljmglmo ha djsmrjejlgthry jepgmt, mhucd ocjejlgto

fgrrjors prosoltod fy murrolt dheostjm cgw gld prgmtjmo wjtb rospomt

th roeodyjli rgmjse jl tbo mrjejlg c ustjmo systoe. Yo eust mbgccolio

hur oxomutjvo, coijscgtjvo gld `udjmjgc frglmbos ha ihvorleolt th tgko

gpprhprjgto eogsuros th olsuro tbgt _.]. cgws, phcjmjos gld prgmtjmosgro jl mhlahrejty wjtb tbo djmtgtos ha tbjs Mhlvoltjhl.

Lkombj Tgjag js g soljhr phcjmy glgcyst gt tbo Hpol

]hmjoty Ahuldgtjhls gld Hpol ]hmjoty hcjmy Moltor,

whrkjli th jlstuolmo aodorgc pufcjm phcjmy jl supphrt

ha mheprobolsjvo `ustjmo roahre. Lkombj ahmusos hljssuos jlvhcvjli soltolmjli roahre, cgw olahrmoeolt

gmmhultgfjcjty, ro-oltry ha provjhuscy jlmgrmorgtod

porshls, prjshl roahre, gld rgmjgc `ustjmo. ]bo bgs

pcgyod g eg`hr rhco jl rgjsjli vjsjfjcjty

ha jssuos jlvhcvjli uloqugc `ustjmo.

Lkombj gcsh mhlvolos tbo @ustjmo

Vhuldtgfco, g Ygsbjlithl-fgsod

gdvhmgmy lotwhrk gdvglmjli aodorgc

mrjejlgc `ustjmo phcjmy roahres. ^rjhr th `hjljli tbo

Hpol ]hmjoty, Lkombj wgs tbo ahuldjli djromthr haBhwgrd _ljvorsjty ]mbhhc ha Cgws gwgrd-wjlljli

Oqugc @ustjmo rhirge, gld tguibt tbo phpucgr soejlgr,

Vgmjgc Djspgrjtjos jl tbo Mrjejlgc @ustjmo ]ystoe.

]bo bgs gcsh fool gl gd`ulmt prhaosshr gt Georjmgl

_ljvorsjty Ygsbjlithl Mhccoio ha Cgw. Lkombj bgs

sorvod gs coijscgtjvo mhulsoc ahr tbo Georjmgl Mjvjc

Cjfortjos _ljhl, pufcjm phcjmy mhulsoc ahr tbo Yheols

Coigc Doaolso Auld, gld gs g stgaa gtthrloy ahr tbo

Lgtjhlgc ^rjshl ^rh`omt. ]bo bgs gcsh fool jl prjvgto

prgmtjmo, spomjgcjzjli jl tbo roprosoltgtjhl ha jldjiolt

gducts gld `uvoljcos, gs wocc gs oepchyeoltdjsmrjejlgtjhl cgw. Lkombj bgs tostjod foahro tbo _.].

Mhliross, tbo _ljtod ]tgtos ]oltolmjli Mheejssjhl,

tbo Mhulmjc ha tbo Djstrjmt ha Mhcuefjg gld tbo Georjmgl

Fgr Gsshmjgtjhl @ustjmo Kollody Mheejssjhl. ]bo bgs

fool pufcjsbod hl g vgrjoty ha jssuos jlvhcvjli mrjejlgc

`ustjmo gld mjvjc gld buegl rjibts, gld bgs fool g

mhlsuctglt th vgrjhus hrigljzgtjhls gld prh`omts.

Lkombj bgs bgs sorvod hl egly djaaorolt pufcjm

jltorost fhgrds, gld murroltcy sorvos gs gl gpphjltod

mheejssjhlor hl tbo Djstrjmt ha Mhcuefjg Mheejssjhl

hl Buegl Vjibts. Lkombj romojvod bor @.D. arhe Iohrio

Ygsbjlithl _ljvorsjty Cgw ]mbhhc, gld js gdejttod

th prgmtjmo foahro tbo _.]. ]uproeo Mhurt, _.]. Mhurt

ha Gppogcs ahr tbo D.M. Mjrmujt, gld tbo D.M. Mhurt

ha Gppogcs.

77