Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice
Racial disparity in criminal justice and sentencing has long been known, but recently, it shifted from explicit racism to more overt racism. While people have worked to fight this, it is hard to do so because it is embedded deep within the system. It doesn’t just affect the trial and sentencing – it starts before the criminal justice process even starts, and then continues throughout the process to the trial, verdict, sentencing, imprisonment, and release.
The recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have shed light on racism upon first contact with police officers. However, it is because of systemic racism and historical injustices that this even happened in the first place.
Racial disparity statistics are shocking – although Black people are only 13.4% of the American population, the numbers don’t reflect this. 22% of fatal police shootings are of Black victims. Black people make up 47% of wrongful conviction exonerations. They’re also 35% of the total number of people who are executed by the death penalty.
Racial Disparity in Healthcare
While differences in healthcare can be attributed to reasons such as disability status, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, it cannot be denied that race is one of the most prevalent factors. In fact, a report by the National Academy of Medicine even confirmed that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality healthcare than white people – even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.”
For Black readers, this is nothing new – it’s a reality that has been confirmed over and over again. One of the most recent and heartbreaking examples is that of Dr. Susan Moore, who died of COVID-19 in 2020. Although an experienced doctor in her own right, she was made to “feel like a drug addict” by the physician treating her, who downplayed her pain and even considered discharging her.
Dr. Moore was a knowledgeable doctor who advocated for herself and still didn’t get the treatment she deserved – how much worse is it for those who cannot advocate for themselves and don’t have a medical background to argue their points?
Other studies have even found that Black individuals received not only cheaper, but also older and more conservative treatments than white individuals – in fact, they’re more likely to receive less desirable treatment.
Talking About Racial Disparity
As much as some people like to deny it, race matters – it affects how long you’re going to be sentenced for a crime, it affects how likely you are to be pulled over by cops, and it affects the quality of healthcare and education you receive. It is only by talking about it, discussing matters with those who can influence policy, and discussing the roots of the problem that American society can try and move on from its shameful past and present.
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