NCJ Number
223814
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 322-355
Date Published
August 2008
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This study addressed the limitations of research literature on racial disparities in formal social control, focusing on a theoretically salient but empirically neglected outcome, and the Black-White disparity in arrest rates.
Abstract
Findings show that there is an uneven distribution of Blacks and Whites associated with higher arrest disparities for drug and weapon arrests, but not with violent or property crime arrest disparities. There was also little evidence in support of the venerable racial threat or benign neglect explanatory frameworks. It has long been debated whether interracial contact generates fear, negative attitudes, and discriminatory behavior among Whites or whether between-race exposure actually improves understanding and tolerance between racial groups. One thesis suggests that an encroachment of Blacks or non-Whites leads Whites to perceive threats to their economic and political standing and personal safety. In addition other studies have reported that cities or States with large Black or non-White populations have more police personnel per capita, spend more money on policing and corrections, and are more likely to impose the death penalty, and have greater rates of imprisonment (Jackson 1989; Jackson and Carroll 1981; Jacobs 1979; Jacobs and Carmichael 2001, 2004; Jacobs and Helms 1999; Kent and Jacobs 2005; Liska, Lawrence, and Benson 1981; Stults and Baumer 2006). Data were from 136 U.S. cities that had a minimum total population of 100,000 persons, at least 5,000 Blacks, and valid data for the dependent, independent, and control variables used for the study. Tables, appendix, notes, and references