Minorities and Crime
Arrest trends are different amongst the races. In particular, the minorities are at an increased rate of being arrested compared to whites. For instance, people of African-American descent are excessively arrested in comparison to Whites. As of the year 2013, African-American juveniles were arrested two times the rate of White juveniles (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018). By the time Black males turn 18, they are at a 30 percent risk of arrest in comparison to 22 percent for males of White origin, and by 23 years of age, African-American males are at a forty-nine percent risk of being arrested while White males are at 38 percent arrest risk (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018). Arrest rates of Hispanics are also higher compared to Whites. For example, Latinos are arrested at an average of 378 per 100,000 in comparison to Whites who are arrested at a rate of 275 per 100,000 generating a disparity ratio of 1.4:1 (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018).
Victimization rates amongst races are different as well. Over the last forty years, the risk of serious violence among blacks have remained approximately 1.5-two times higher compared to those of whites, and the risks among Latinos have been approximately 1.2-1.5 times higher compared to those of whites (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018). Rates of victimization among American Indians are roughly 2.4 times (or 140 percent) higher than those of whites; Asian Americans report victimization rates that are 60% higher than those of whites. In my opinion, victimization has an influence on criminal propensity. Once individuals become victims of violence, the physical, emotional and psychological harm can negatively affect their lives. For example, some of the victims may engage in criminal activity as a way of retaliation; others may engage in crime as a way of coping with what happened to them.
Reference
Gabbidon, S. L. & Greene, H. T. (2018). Race and Crime (5th ed.). SAGE Publications
