“79% of white police officers working primarily in black neighborhoods admitted to being biased against blacks.” This is an alarming percentage of officials, yet we are still faced with this problem today. Racial discrimination occurs not only with police officers but also with convictions, court cases and arrests. The US criminal justice system aims to ensure that there is no discrimination, but why isn't there anything else to stop it? There needs to be more reform and policies in place to minimize racial discrimination in our criminal justice system so we can treat everyone fairly and not favor one race over another. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay I am a psychology major with a minor in criminal justice and this is a very important topic for me. Those who work in the criminal justice department need to realize that racial discrimination is growing and that more people are guilty of it than researchers initially thought. The media may not report everything that is happening in the world, but these problems have been buried deep in the ground and their roots are trying to rise to the surface, but they continue to be pushed deeper and deeper. If the criminal justice system in the United States doesn't change its ways, it could cost more lives and more families of color will be affected by those serving life sentences instead of the minimum sentence that has the final say. In the United States, African Americans are targeted more than whites in the criminal justice system and because of this there is a feeling of lost hope. There are stereotypes thrown around left and right that lead to untrustworthiness, desperation, and even less government approval. African Americans who have a higher education than those with a lower education tend to feel targeted because of the color of their skin and will do things like not vote in elections because they feel like they don't matter to those who hold the office. authorities such as the government. This can be explained: “Because feelings of distrust and government responsiveness influence individuals' desire to engage in politics, politics also influences participation rates.” Additionally, African Americans who have a higher level of education really realize what is going on and are more susceptible to dealing with discrimination firsthand. This is because around the world, African Americans, especially those with darker skin, have been perceived as dangerous individuals who commit crimes, cause violence and use drugs. There have been surveys such as the one conducted by the United States Department of Justice that concluded that "African Americans may be subject to police traffic stops at similar rates to whites, are three times more likely to be searched after being been stopped." they seem more suspicious and are perceived as crime makers when it comes to the law. The war on drugs has also impacted African Americans, especially when it comes to the punishment they receive when they go to prison and serve their sentences. “Courts have “going” rates for certain crime patterns, which also informally guide outcomes based on what judicial actors mutually believe is the appropriate outcome for a given crime.” More and more African Americans are being sent to prison with things like life in prison for having a kilogram of crack cocaine even though the minimum sentence is 2 to 10 years. THEWhites use crack and cocaine more and when caught receive a sentence less than life in prison and are not profiled because of the color of their skin. Minorities are targeted more often and African Americans fall into this category which increases discrimination and what police officers do to them, especially in regards to how they treat African Americans. Given the ongoing discrimination, the worst and most serious thing a police officer can do to someone is shoot them and this is becoming an alarming problem in the African American community. “Between 50 and 60% of the people killed by the police every year are minorities.” These types of events create a lot of backlash and uproar from the public when the media talks about them, which doesn't always happen because of things like other news stories taking over or because the media doesn't feel it's important to talk about it. The victim's family or loved ones do not get justice because the police officer often claims there was a reason to use excessive force. This has been seen in cases where incidents have occurred where police fired shots because they felt like a gun was about to be drawn or felt like the person they were looking for was about to run away. In December 2012, an incident occurred where Jamaal Moore, who was only 23 years old, was shot and killed by an officer. Jamaal was minding his business on the street in Chicago when a riot broke out around him, and one of the officers on the scene considered Jamaal a suspect in the riot. He was in handcuffs and lying on the ground with no officers nearby, where he was later shot and killed, but there was no evidence to show why he was shot. This case was not well known around the world because there was “a national uproar over the number of murders in Chicago.” Police blamed it on law enforcement getting tougher, but when bloodshed occurs over someone doing nothing to cause harm, then where do you draw the line? There are reforms in place that try to stop and prevent this from happening, and people from all over the world are trying to stop police brutality from happening again. The Black Lives Matter movement is a movement that became popular in 2013 and originally started as a hashtag and this movement was created to try to stop police brutality and shootings. Many African Americans were killed by police when they posed no threat to the officer. People of all racial backgrounds are part of this movement and coined the phrase. Very often you can find a Black Lives Matter movement rallying behind a more local event or protesting in public. They use phrases like "Turn it off" when referring to someone's hands being raised and telling the officer not to shoot them to try to spread awareness. This movement is popular and creates awareness about what is happening in the African American community and the ongoing racial discrimination. “Ultimately, Black Lives Matter can help intensify the growing pressure on the contemporary labor movement to revive its social justice roots.” There are some people who argue that police brutality isn't a real thing and that the police are doing what they're supposed to do because they felt like their lives were in danger or other people's lives were in danger. According to Heather Donald in the National Review, “local officials have proudly proclaimed themselves incapable of functioning in the absence of federal oversight.” In a study by Robert Bernasconi in CR: The New Centennial Review he states: “Guns are found only very rarely.” Minorities seem more dangerous because that's the way it isthat the public and media perceive them, which extends to law enforcement, arrests and illegal shootings. Innocent lives are taken, and every time police officers exercise their right to use excessive force, public outcry is undermined and sidelined. Not much is done to show what is really happening and there will always be people who show no sympathy for the victim or their loved ones, which only adds to the issue. Movements like the Black Lives Matter movement can create voice and spark protest. Some celebrities are even involved in this movement and can use their fame to speak to the public and try to make a change. People look up to celebrities and this can spread more awareness which in turn can force a change in police brutality and arrests. Reforms need to be implemented for criminal justice systems with courts and corrections because “minorities are treated more punitively than whites in similar situations, from arrest to sentencing in numerous jurisdictions.” The type of lawyer a person gets depends on how good a lawyer they can afford and since African Americans are placed in the minority category they cannot afford a good lawyer who can help with sentencing. What people tend not to realize is that a defendant's family background, as well as poverty level, play an important role in deciding the length of the sentence. According to Matthew Clair and Alix Winter in Criminology, "judges have reported considering creative ways to issue alternative sentences, such as drug rehabilitation, for defendants." Drug rehab for defendants can help the defendant get on the road to recovery so they can serve less time and have more time with their family than they would as often if they were sentenced to life in prison. This often happens for minorities, especially those of color, and whites have less time or are more effective at plea bargaining because they can afford a better lawyer who stacks the odds in their favor. Many African Americans would benefit greatly if judges were fully aware that a defendant's racial and social class contributes to racial disparities. This will show that there is more to the color of someone's skin and that everyone is human. No race is a monstrous race and deep down we are all the same but with different beliefs, but if we work together we can create equality and a better environment. Some argue that instead of minimizing sentences and creating programs to help defendants they should not be okay because there is no racism in the courts and charges. According to Heather Donald in the Wall Street Journal, “racial disparities in prison do not stand the test of fact.” Heather believes that prison crimes are not connected to a person's race and that when it comes to drug incarceration or any type of incarceration a person's race does not play a role. This may be true but, in a study conducted by Matthew Clair and Alex Winter in Criminology who interviewed judges, one judge said, “We are all vulnerable to bias.” The judges in their study also noted that they themselves may have a bias toward a person's class or race that can contribute to racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. This shows that there is racism in the courts as well as in the accusations and truly shows that even ordinary people are guilty of racially discriminating against others. With better programs in place, there can be “appropriate reductions in the number and length of prison sentences, long-term benefits and.