Overview
This lecture explores the differences in crime and victimization rates among ethnic groups in the UK, examining reasons behind over- and under-representation in the criminal justice system and theoretical explanations for these disparities.
Ethnicity and Criminal Justice Statistics
- Black and Asian groups are over-represented in UK prisons relative to their population sizes.
- White people are under-represented and significantly less likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, or imprisoned than blacks or Asians.
- Official statistics show numbers but not underlying reasons for disparities.
Understanding Crime Data: Methods and Limitations
- Victim surveys show most crime is intra-ethnic (committed within the same ethnicity).
- Victim surveys may be biased due to over-identification of black perpetrators and exclude certain crimes and age groups.
- Self-report studies indicate similar offending rates for blacks and whites; Asians report lower rates.
- Self-report findings challenge stereotypes but may be flawed due to misreporting or lack of trust.
Policing, Arrests, and Prosecutions
- Persistent claims of oppressive and discriminatory policing towards ethnic minorities since the 1970s.
- "Stop and search" rates are higher for blacks, especially after the Terrorism Act 2000 for Asians.
- Institutional racism highlighted in the 1999 Macpherson Report after Stephen Lawrence’s murder.
- High-discretion stops (not based on intelligence) are more likely to reflect prejudice.
- Arrest rates are higher for blacks, but blacks and Asians are less likely to receive cautions than whites due to mistrust and denial of offenses.
Court Processes and Sentencing
- CPS is more likely to drop cases against ethnic minorities, often due to weak evidence.
- Minorities are more likely to choose jury trials, leading to harsher sentences if convicted.
- Blacks and Asians are less likely to be found guilty, suggesting weaker cases are brought against them.
- Black offenders are more likely than whites and Asians to receive custodial sentences and longer terms.
- Pre-sentence reports may exhibit bias, particularly against Asian offenders post-9/11.
Prison and Remand
- Minority ethnic groups make up a disproportionate share of the prison population.
- Blacks are five times more likely than whites to be imprisoned.
- Minorities are more likely to be held on remand due to lower likelihood of being granted bail.
Explanations for Ethnic Differences in Offending
- Left Realism (Lea & Young): Higher black crime rates due to relative deprivation, marginalization, and alienation, not just police racism.
- Neo-Marxists (e.g., Gilroy, Hall): View black criminality as myth/political resistance, and official stats as social constructs reflecting stereotypes.
- Media and state foster "moral panics" about minority crime to distract from systemic issues like capitalism.
Ethnicity and Victimization
- Racist victimization: targeting individuals for their race, ethnicity, or religion.
- Racist incidents often underreported; estimates are much higher than police records indicate.
- Mixed-ethnicity people are at highest risk of victimization.
- Victimization risk may also relate to age, gender, and employment status.
- Minority communities may adopt defensive measures due to police under-protection.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Intra-ethnic crime — Crime committed within the same ethnic group.
- Stop and search — Police practice of searching individuals based on suspicion.
- Institutional racism — Systemic policies or practices that result in unequal treatment of racial groups.
- Relative deprivation — Feeling deprived compared to others, leading to resentment and possibly crime.
- Custodial sentence — A prison sentence.
- Remand — The detention of an accused person while awaiting trial.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the Macpherson Report’s findings on institutional racism.
- Study key theories: Left Realism and Neo-Marxism explanations for ethnicity and crime.
- Prepare examples for exam questions on policing and ethnic disparities.