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Ethnicity and crime - Coggle Diagram
Ethnicity and crime
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Ethnic composition of England & Wales (census, 2021)
White, 81.7%:
- White British, 74.4%
- White other, 6.2%
- White Irish, 0.9%
Asian, 9.3%:
- Indian, 3.1%
- Pakistani, 2.7%
- Bangladeshi, 1.1%
- Chinese, 0.7%
Black, 4.0%:
- Black African, 2.5%
- Black Caribbean, 1.0%
- Black other, 0.5%
Mixed race / other, 5.0%:
- Mixed race, 2.9%
- Traveller, 0.3%
The cycle of discrimination, criminalisation and exclusion
Phillips and Bowling:
- arguments of more offending & racism, combines both
- minority ethnic groups are socially excluded, which means they're more likely to be criminalised, which then labels them a problem, and excludes them more, leads them to turn to crime
- two-way causality, more criminalised results in social exclusion
- partially high offending, but also discrimination
- minority ethnic groups feel overpoliced & underprotected
1993 racially aggravated murder of Stephen Lawrence:
- Stephen stabbed by 5 white men
- police assume he was stabbed by black gangs, blamed his friend
- took 20 years for 2 people to be convicted
- family tried a private prosecution for murder but failed, police & system didnt take seriously or recognise racism, assumed minorities criminal, jury found not guilty & double jeprody law means murderers now invincible
- no case brought by Crown Prosecution Service, failed to collect evidence by policy
- public opinion began to change, against politicians, lawmakers etc, especially due to mother Doreen (dignity & determination)
- 2 convicted on forensic evidence, but didn't serve life sentences as under 18 when committed
Macpherson report:
- recommended the double jeprody law repelled
- need to screen police & look at how recruited
- police training throughout their job
- due to report, if it is proven you deliberately targeted on race etc, it is an additional charge "racially aggravated assault" etc
- argued police, criminal justice system, social services etc all institutionally racist (embedded in the system, canteen culture, police "laddish" culture, banter, bullying etc, no one exposes)
Evaluation:
- Phillips & Bowling argument combines both points, arguably the best
Neo-marxism:
Paul Gilroy:
- lack of cooperation with police amongst minorities
- police stereotypes, prejudice comes from idea we are more civilised & brought law & order in colonisation (most police white British, have 'myth of black criminality', idea in their mind they are lawless & civilised, backed up with myth due to e.g. hip-hop culture)
- culture of resistance, minorities learnt this during colonisation & continue this against police (they know their culture & history, dont cooperate, links to slave resistance etc - police officer represents white slave power, as did slave owners)
Stuart Hall et al:
- in times of crisis during capitalism, hegemony is threatened; crisis of legitimacy of ruling class
- he uses example of Northern Ireland, severe strikes amongst industries (1970s), proletariat may bring down capitalism
- they manage this by causing moral panics
- for example, "mugging" (made up word) by black people (1970s)
- this justifies more police on the street, makes ruling class feel more secure & W/C think muggings a problem, actually controls strikes, makes W/C blame black people rather than gov; scapegoating
- scapegoating of black men, divides W/C & distracts them
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