Black Americans Given Longer Sentences than White Americans for Same Crimes

[The Straight Story]

Black Americans Given Longer Sentences than White Americans for Same Crimes

A new academic study of 58,000 federal criminal cases has found significant disparities in sentencing for blacks and whites arrested for the same crimes. The research led to the conclusion that African-Americans’ jail time was almost 60% longer than white sentences.

According to M. Marit Rehavi of the University of British Columbia and Sonja B. Starr, who teaches criminal law at the University of Michigan Law School, the racial disparities can be explained “in a single prosecutorial decision: whether to file a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence….Black men were on average more than twice as likely to face a mandatory minimum charge as white men were, holding arrest offense as well as age and location constant.” Prosecutors are about twice as likely to impose mandatory minimums on black defendants as on white defendants.

In federal cases, black defendants faced average sentences of 60 months, while the average for white defendants was only 38 months.

The report concludes that sentence disparities “can be almost completely explained by three factors: the original arrest offense, the defendant’s criminal history, and the prosecutor’s initial choice of charges.”

http://www.allgov.com/Top_Stories/ViewNews/Black_Americans_Given_Longer_Sentences_than_White_Americans_for_Same_Crimes_120204

[MADem]

1. OMG, I am shocked, I tell you--shocked!! No, wait--sadly, I am not at all surprised. nt

[Ecumenist]

2. No kidding...There's nothing new to know here.

[WingDinger]

3. See, we're always giving things to blacks, this time, it is time.

[tech3149]

4. definitely a no shit sherlock post

I'm no spring chicken and have worked and lived in and around predominantly poor neighborhoods I grew up in a rural part of W PA and we only had two black families in the school district. When I went to school in the 70's the only place I could afford to live was in one of those "dangerous" neighborhoods. In four years I never had a problem and never feared for my life.
When I went to work most of that time was working in the poorer NY Metro areas. Much of that was working side by side with LEO's and in correctional facilities. I can't think of one day I was embarrassed by the treatment of not just AA's but everyone.
I personally think discrimination will only be dead long after I am.

[angstlessk]

5. however...the "the defendant’s criminal history"

depends on "the prosecutor’s initial choice of charges" it is as ROUND ROBIN!...