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Racial Biases In Criminal Justice Essay

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The right to due process by law is afforded to every American as of the pivotal ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment on July 9, 1868. This amendment guaranteed every American equal and impartial treatment within the justice system. However, within the flawed institution that is the United States justice system, race is undeniably a pivotal factor in the outcome of the legal process. From the disproportionate rates of police stops to the severity of prosecutions and even the likelihood of facing the death penalty, race has evident and extensive influence. The deep-rooted prejudices held against minorities within the American justice system stand in direct opposition to the fundamental respect for human rights that is vital in the maintenance of democracy. Prejudice …show more content…
The perpetuation of these stereotypes permeated the public perception of African American people and exacerbated the malformed biases that had already taken hold. These biases shaped public opinion, legal proceedings, and the criminal justice system in conjunction. According to the Harvard Library’s resource, “Criminal Justice”, “Some of the first organized “police forces” in the United States were slave patrols in the American South.” The modern criminal justice system, it is therefore evidenced, has its roots in the systematic oppression of African-Americans dating back to the 1600s. Eventually, despite great hardship, policies and laws that granted African Americans more rights began to be implemented, like Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. However, many laws and restrictions that were counterintuitive to the progress being achieved were put in place with the intention of greatly limiting the few freedoms afforded to African

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