Below is a recent blog post regarding a widely publicized study of racial differences in criminal justice outcomes in the UK ("Lammy Review: An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic individuals in the Criminal Justice System" (Sept. 8, 2017)).
The post discusses the study's uncritical acceptance of the mistaken view underlying US policies that generally reducing adverse criminal justice (or other) outcomes will tend to reduce (a) relative racial differences in rates of experiencing the outcomes and (b) the proportions racial minorities make up of persons experiencing the outcomes.
"United States Exports Its Most Profound Ignorance About Racial Disparities to the United Kingdom," Federalist Society Blog (Nov. 2, 2017) https://fedsoc.org/commentary/blog-posts/united-states-exports-its-most-profound-ignorance-about-racial-disparities-to-the-united-kingdom
An important matter that I failed to address in the post involves the fact that the study stresses the importance of developing trust in the criminal justice system within minority communities in order, among other things, to diminish the reluctance of minority defendants to plead guilty (which the author believes is commonly advantageous). The study, however, promotes distrust within minority communities by stressing the increasing proportion minorities make up of incarcerated persons when incarceration rates are declining.
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James Scanlan
James P. Scanlan Attorney At Law
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