AGE, OCCUPATION AND CONVICTION RATES OF WHITE AND NEGRO MALES - A CASE STUDY

• NCJ Number: 58094
• Journal: ROCKY MOUNTAIN SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL Pages: 141-146
• Author(s): M A FORSLUND
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Western Social Science Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE INFLUENCE OF RACE, AGE, AND OCCUPATIONAL LEVEL ON THE CONVICTION RATES OF WHITE AND NEGRO MALES IS EVALUATED IN THIS CASE STUDY.

Abstract

THE STUDY SAMPLE INCLUDED ALL MALES 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER ARRESTED IN STAMFORD, CONN. DURING THE PERIOD OF 1958 THROUGH 1961. DURING THIS PERIOD WHITE MALES WERE FOUND GUILTY OF 59.9 PERCENT OF ALL CHARGES FILED AGAINST THEM WHEREAS NEGRO MALES WERE FOUND GUILTY OF 70.5 PERCENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF RACE, AGE, AND OCCUPATIONAL LEVEL ON THE CONVICTION RATES OF WHITES AND NEGRO MALES SHOWS THE FOLLOWING BREAKDOWN: (1) NEGRO MALES WERE CONVICTED OF A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF CHARGES FILED AGAINST THEM THAN WHITE MALES, AND (2) THE EXTENT TO WHICH NEGRO MALE CONVICTION RATES EXCEEDED WHITE MALE CONVICTION RATES DECLINED WITH AGE. THE CONVICTION RATES FOR WHITES REMAINED FAIRLY CONSTANT BETWEEN 56 AND 58 PERCENT FOR THE YOUNGER AND MIDDLE AGE CATEGORIES, RISING TO NEARLY 63 PERCENT FOR THE AGES 45 THROUGH 54. FOR THE NEGRO, THE CONVICTION RATES WERE HIGHEST IN THE YOUNGEST AND OLDEST AGE CATEGORIES AND DECLINED TOWARD THE MIDDLE. THE CONVICTION RATES FOR BOTH WHITES AND NEGROES WERE HIGHER FOR THE LABORER CATEGORY, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE NEGRO CONVICTION RATE EXCEEDED THE WHITE MALE CONVICTION RATE DECLINED FROM THE CATEGORY OF WHITE COLLAR WORKER TO BLUE COLLAR WORKER AND LABORER. FOR WHITE MALES, THE CONVICTION RATE INCREASED FROM THE CATEGORIES OF WHITE COLLAR WORKER TO LABORER, WHEREAS FOR NEGROES, THE CONVICTION RATE FOR LABORERS IS NOT MUCH HIGHER THAN FOR THE OTHER CATEGORIES. IT APPEARS THAT DISCRIMINATION TAKES PLACE IN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS AGAINST NEGROES, ALTHOUGH NEGROES HAVE HIGHER CRIME RATES THAN WHITES AT ALL AGE AND OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS. ALSO, LABORERS OF BOTH RACES WERE FOUND TO HAVE MUCH HIGHER CRIME RATES THAN OTHER OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES, THUS MEN IN THESE CATEGORIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PRIOR ARREST RECORDS AND WILL PROBABLY BE DEALT WITH MORE HARSHLY BY THE COURTS. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE HIGHER CONVICTION RATE AMONG NEGROES IS NOT DUE TO JUDICIAL DISCRIMINATION, BUT INSTEAD TO THE DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A PRIOR ARREST RECORD AND THE CHANCES OF A CONVICTION. TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (STB)