Racial injustice and racist practices remain embedded in the justice system. Why? - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14841949
Ministers have been urged to put in place a comprehensive race strategy following the publication of the Lammy review.

Led by Labour MP David Lammy, the inquiry concluded black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) individuals "still face bias, including overt discrimination, in parts of the justice system."

The report has flagged up a raft of data pointing to BAME disproportionality in the courts, prisons and probation service, which is said to cost the taxpayer more than £300 million a year.

The report cites studies suggesting a "stark difference" in plea decisions between different ethnic groups.

One found that between 2006 and 2014, BAME defendants pleaded not guilty to 40% of charges, compared with white defendants doing so for 31%.

Defendants convicted after a trial are likely to face tougher punishments than if they admit guilt early on.

Mr Lammy said: "Many BAME defendants simply do not believe that the justice system will deliver less punitive treatment if they plead guilty."

The report 'shows... our criminal justice system still discriminates when it comes to ethnicity'

It is a disgrace that racial injustice and racist practices remain embedded in our justice system.


His assessment suggests the deferred prosecution model could help address the "chronic trust deficit" by taking plea decisions out of the equation.

It calls for the introduction around England and Wales of a scheme piloted in the West Midlands, which found violent offenders dealt with by deferred prosecution were 35% less likely to re-offend, as well as higher levels of satisfaction among victims.

Mr Lammy said: "It is only through delivering fairness, rebuilding trust, and sharing responsibility that we will build the equal and just society so often spoken about."

He acknowledged there is "only so much" the criminal justice system can do.

"Communities must take greater responsibility for the care and development of their people - failing to do so only damages society as a whole," the MP said.

His blueprint also proposes the introduction of a US-style system for "sealing" criminal records.

In this situation, a judge or independent body would assess an ex-offender's case and if they were found to have reformed their criminal record would still exist but they would not need to disclose it when applying for jobs, and employers would not be able to access it.

Black Britons make up just 3 per cent of the population but 12 per cent of those in prison
David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: "Everybody should have full trust in our criminal justice system and the Lammy Review is a major contribution to understanding the challenges we face to achieve this.

"The Government must respond to the review urgently and put in place a comprehensive race strategy with stretching targets to reduce the race inequality that is so apparent in our society."

Christopher Stacey, co-director of the charity Unlock, said the review "rightly recognises the significant negative impact that the current criminal records disclosure regime has on people's chances of finding work after they've turned their lives around".

He said: "It unnecessarily anchors people to their past, locks them out of the labour market and has a considerable financial cost to society through out-of-work benefits. The regime is in desperate need of reform."

Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said it was a "seminal" report which "shows through dispassionate factual analysis our criminal justice system still discriminates when it comes to ethnicity".

He added: "But it also shows that the solutions lie in accountable, fair practice which every part of the system could achieve, and which would benefit every person caught up in the system, regardless of their race or background."

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said: "All members of society, regardless of culture, heritage or the colour of their skin should be equal before the law and treated fairly by the various parts of the criminal justice system.

"It is a disgrace that racial injustice and racist practices remain embedded in our justice system.

"I hope that the many good recommendations in David Lammy's review will be implemented quickly, and thoroughly."

Gareth Wilson, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for equality and diversity, said: "Policing is the gateway into the criminal justice system so it is vital we seek to eliminate any disproportionality in our approach.

"The NPCC will now work with the College of Policing and the Home Office to consider how we can record data on ethnicity and make it available for scrutiny.

"Every chief constable agrees we have not gone far enough fast enough in making our own workforce more diverse and representative of our communities. We are working hard to speed up our progress.

"In the last two years, we've made changes to ensure black and ethnic minority people are not unfairly targeted in stop and search and to reduce the number of unproductive stop and searches, while still using it to prevent violence and knife crime.


"We will also work with the NCA (National Crime Agency) to do more to target those criminals who pull young black men into gangs and crime, recognising this can be a form of exploitation and modern slavery."


http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/ ... -criminals
#14842014
"In the last two years, we've made changes to ensure black and ethnic minority people are not unfairly targeted in stop and search and to reduce the number of unproductive stop and searches, while still using it to prevent violence and knife crime.

It actually doesn't look like they are very effective in preventing violence and knife crime.
Independent wrote:
Two men stabbed to death within four hours in London amid alarm over violent crime

[...]

Chief Superintendent Ade Adelekan, who is in charge of policing Newham borough, said: “We are only too well aware that this incident comes after a number of shootings and firearms discharges that are blighting our communities and seriously injuring our young men.” He said extra officers would be on patrol using stop and search powers, and that proactive work to prevent gun and gang crime would continue.

It comes amid mounting concern over a knife crime “epidemic” in London, where 11 people were stabbed to death in 16 days earlier this year, as well as a spike in acid attacks and robberies using mopeds. There have been several murders in recent weeks, including another shooting in Newham and Enfield and deadly stabbings in Islington, Manor Park, Brixton, Eltham, Peckham and Croydon, with the victims as young as 15.

[...]


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