NCJ Number
114380
Date Published
1986
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This examination of the situation of black people in Great Britain's criminal justice system concludes that discrimination exists and that measures to ensure fair, nondiscriminatory treatment to black offenders and victims of crime are a low priority for most responsible organizations.
Abstract
Statistics demonstrate the disadvantaged and unequal position of black people in contemporary Britain. The section on the courts addresses evidence of racial bias in dispositions, recruiting minorities to the magistracy, magistrates' training, black people as defendants, the role of community agencies including black organizations, and the lack of policies on racial equality. The report explores statutory social service agencies' work with black offenders, the numbers of blacks in the prison system, and the Prison Department's actions to address racial discrimination in its institutions. Other correctional issues reviewed include team approaches to race relations, staff training, and monitoring. The report also discusses voluntary organizations which work in the offender field, with attention to funding and other obstacles faced by these groups. Areas considered in the discussion of blacks as crime victims include racially motivated crime and harassment, fear of crime, ethnic minorities' reluctance to report crime to the police, and victim services. Recommendations are presented.