Black people disproportionately criminalised by rotten justice system

There are clearly a number of key factors which help explain the disproportionate level of Black men in UK prisons.

Much is talked about the socio-economic factors which negatively impact BME communities, but the collective facts of how the Criminal Justice System works cannot be ignored as an insignificant factor.

Black men for example are 26 times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police. Worse still when illegal drugs are found the way the police deal with black and white suspects, the disparity is alarming.

In London, which has the most thorough data for such policing and accounts for half of all the stop-and-search incidents in England and Wales, 12.4% of white people found possessing cannabis in 2009/10 were charged, with almost 75% given a warning.

For black people found with cannabis, 21.5% were charged and 65% warned.

The authors of the report into drug stop and search operations say that their findings show there is a need for fundamental change.

Black people are not just significantly more likely to be searched by police for drugs than their white peers, but face almost double the chance of being charged if any are found, according to a study of racial disparities in the way drug laws are enforced.

The study showed, for instance, disparities for cocaine possession in London, with 78% of black people charged, compared with 44% of white people. Black people were also almost twice as likely to be charged for possession of cannabis in the capital.

Overall, it can be seen through these shockingly disproportionate figures that this justice system needs to be reformed. The large inequality that the BME community continues to face has to be challenged by the government. If we are to have confidence in our Criminal Justice System, then justice must be dispensed equitably and BME communities should not be disproportionately criminalised by a rotten justice system.

Click here to read the report

Staff reporter