Similar to the harsher punishment given out by school administrators to minority students, our law enforcement is also disproportionately harsh on minorities in America. Disadvantaged communities which are often occupied by majority non-whites, are more heavily patrolled by law enforcement (Cohen, 1981), leading to higher rates of criminal charges even when the crime rate is similar between non-whites and whites (NAACP). These underprivileged individuals are more likely to receive harsher treatment by police and the criminal justice system as a whole (Cohen, 1981). Stricter punishment and longer incarceration negatively affects minorities in long run by reducing chances of employment, which leads to poverty and ultimately social reproduction. On the legislative side of government, legislature such as tough on crime and war on drugs policies would instill long mandatory minimum sentencing for drugs that were more localized to poor minority communities. These laws caused a large racial disparity in drug sentencing by race and ethnicity (Conley 366). When all the negative effects of institutionalized racism are applied to a community, it becomes very hard to break free of poverty and obtain social
Similar to the harsher punishment given out by school administrators to minority students, our law enforcement is also disproportionately harsh on minorities in America. Disadvantaged communities which are often occupied by majority non-whites, are more heavily patrolled by law enforcement (Cohen, 1981), leading to higher rates of criminal charges even when the crime rate is similar between non-whites and whites (NAACP). These underprivileged individuals are more likely to receive harsher treatment by police and the criminal justice system as a whole (Cohen, 1981). Stricter punishment and longer incarceration negatively affects minorities in long run by reducing chances of employment, which leads to poverty and ultimately social reproduction. On the legislative side of government, legislature such as tough on crime and war on drugs policies would instill long mandatory minimum sentencing for drugs that were more localized to poor minority communities. These laws caused a large racial disparity in drug sentencing by race and ethnicity (Conley 366). When all the negative effects of institutionalized racism are applied to a community, it becomes very hard to break free of poverty and obtain social