examples of cultural diversity issues in criminal justice

This concept is most clearly seen in the practice of racial profiling, which is a way of using stereotypes to influence judgment rather than facts. Most people hate jury duty, but it's one of the most common ways for ordinary citizens to interact with the criminal justice system. For example, you can be biased against a cousin who always borrows money and never pays you back. Often considered the medical model of punishment because it sought to treat the offender rather than strictly punish. Cultural competence is a dynamic, ongoing developmental process that requires a long-term commitment and is achieved over time (HHS 2003a, p. 12). Statistics clearly show there are issues of economic status and race are factors in the criminal justice system. We also contributed to the Victims Commissioners proposals for a Victims Law, drawing on a roundtable we heldto call for a greater focus on the needs of Black, Asian and minority ethnic victims. Introduction. Should Facilities house inmates differently based on transgender status and gender identity? Female inmates are more likely to have been convicted of a crime involving property crimes, alcohol abuse, or drugs. Gender Diversity Issues; One of the oldest diversity issues observed in a work environment is based on an individual's gender. Jails need to be prepared on many dimensions, such as medical care, data systems, security, housing options, and clothing choices. Involvement with the justice system essentially labels a person an offender. This label affects an individuals ability to retain status as a productive member of the community by, for example, limiting housing and employment options so severely that many cannot live or work successfully. Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice The diversity issue focused on in this paper will be racial disparity in sentencing. In Discussion focused on identifying issues associated with managing this group of offenders in the nations jails and prisons, with an emphasis on personal safety. Beyond our profession, awareness has continued to emerge within the LGBT community about how correctional facilities manage, supervise, and house people from these populations. To this end, Petersilia & Deschenes (1994) study (among others) of inmates and correctional staff views of penal severity compared with community sanctions finds that roughly one year in prison is considered the punitive equal to three years of intensive supervision probation (ISP). Our focus is on the potential for victimization, regardless of sexual orientation. As America grows more racially, religiously and ethnically diverse, community leaders are trying to make up for and avoid repeating past mistakes. In this chapter, we explored corrections and specific needs of the unique populations in the prison setting. A study conducted in California showed that 71.9% of females had been convicted on a drug or property charge versus 49.7% of males. There is very little available between standard probation (reporting) and incarceration (prisons or jail). The average sentence in the US is an average of six months longer than in 1988. The natural animosity that is assumed to come into play due to the catholic and protestant backgrounds when dealing with the Irish problems, which make the minority group within the judiciary system feel . Diversity takes many forms, but this lesson will focus on cultural diversity. In California prisons, nearly 80% have experienced some form of abuse. The field of criminal justice allows for a wide assortment of research interests, and as such, only a student's imagination limits this research. Commonly-held biases can create stereotypes. To be effective, we need to expand the use of drug treatment courts (offering treatment for one year), cognitive behavioral therapy, use of motivational enhancement techniques, and employment programs that focus on social supports. One area of research that has been gaining popularity views crime as a product of the culture or subculture to which one belongs, rather than strictly blaming it on individual differences. It has also been called a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that . The criminal justice system's pervasive problems with racism start before the first contact and continue through pleas, conviction, incarceration, release, and beyond. By age 48, the typical former inmate will have earned $179,000 less than individuals not involved in the justice system (Western & Pettit, 2010). In recent times the religious institutions and legal services have assist inmates who try to practice their faith while incarcerated. If your image of a police officer involves a certain kind of person or a certain personality typeconsider how someone different would be really essential to balance the demands of the job. Data on fatal police encounters, body camera use, civilian complaints and officer political affiliation, for example, could be the focus of future studies. The findings, featured on the cover of the Feb. 12 issue of the journal Science, suggest that increasing diversity within police departments may decrease police mistreatment of minority communities. In addition, 1 in 23 Americans aged 18 to 65 is involved in the justice system; 1in 28 children have a parent incarcerated, and 1 in 5 American adults have a criminal record (Glaze, 2009; Glaze & Maruschak, 2009; OBrien & Darrow, 2007). Be able to explain the history of the American correctional system and the theories of incarceration and rehabilitation. These can have extreme consequences.. Find out more about who we are, what we do, our mission and our vision. Sex between any persons in a correctional setting is forbidden, period. CHICAGO In the last decade, high-profile police killings including George Floyd in 2020 have shaken the nation and led to widespread protests and calls for reform, including hiring more nonwhite and female officers. Cultural Diversity is significant in keeping society in check. Females also report abuse within the correctional system. Religion-related training sessions for police officers are part of a broader push to increase the cultural competency of law enforcement personnel, DeCarlo said. One-third were Caucasian and (13%) were made up of other minorities. The costs of administering incarceration policies have affected nearly all aspects of our society. Contemporary societies are culturally diverse. Perhaps because of its history of aversion to the harshness of the English Criminal code and its recent victory in the Revolutionary War, America was also particularly receptive to emerging Enlightenment thought challenging the premises of the old social order. Two-thirds of female inmates have children who are minors. Rather, it builds on the premise that real punishment emerges from incarceration. Be able to identify the myths and stereotypes of inmates in correctional facilities. As prisons become more crowded, correctional officers and other staff will in all probability turn to religious leaders and volunteers to help them deal with the psychological stress which take place in a correctional setting and to accomplish some tasks. Provide feedback to fellow students presentations. At the same time, no one thinks its a good idea to open the prison doors and let offenders free. A judicial system which incorporates racial and economic factors in determining who will be imprisoned is a criminal justice system that lacks justice. Female inmates tend to come from a lower socioeconomic status, have a lower education, possess limited skills, are single parents, and are predominately women of color. A judge may dismiss a case for having too little evidence or sentence with the full weight of the law. Yet, U.S. sentence lengths are virtually unmatched. There are five common types of punishment: Retribution, restoration incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation. And what about housing a person with a female physiognomy but a male gender identity with males? Presiding Judge of the Superior Court (or his/her designee). One can take many different stances when asked to determine the causes of criminal activity. Deterrence is another concept whereby society deters crime through punishment. Understands Womens Special Needs in Prison, 8.1: History and Purpose of the American Correctional System, Chapter 8 Managing Culturally Diverse and Specific Populations in Correctional Settings, History and Purpose of the American Correctional System39, Return to the Rehabilitative Philosophy40, What it means to be Culturally Competent41. The main purpose of deterrence it to prevent future crime by deterring offenders and the public from committing a crime due to fear of punishment. AGENDA Review the criminal justice system's response to public perception Discuss whether the criminal justice system discriminates A contemporary issue or event related to each of the two topics to support your . Retribution is probably one of the oldest forms of punishment and most commonly known as an eye for an eye. Historically, when wronged the victim would expect retribution or some payment proportionate to the loss he or she incurred. An officer might consider this a sign of deceit or evasion, but Muslim culture dictates this as a sign of modesty. Building a community capacity to address crime problems encourage implementation of more cost-effective strategies. This is the kind of research we really need.. A shift occurred in the 2000s and more institutions are returning to rehabilitation as a form of reducing prison population and curbing recidivism. Cultural competence is an essential ingredient in decreasing disparities in behavioral health. Thats why weve been pushing for this for years., Russell grew up in a predominantly Black area of Chicago, but said the police officers who patrolled her neighborhood were largely white Never anyone who looked like us.. This process allows the offender to express remorse for committing the criminal act and be forgiven. being diverted to addiction treatment rather than the criminal justice system. In New York City, neighborhoods that are home to 18% of the citys adult population account for more than 50% of prison admissions each year. Despite the prominence of this thinking, data reveals that 42% individuals in jail, 20% in prison, and 50% under probation and parole supervision are first time offenders. On a strip search, should there be a policy that searches of transgender inmates are conducted by a mixed team of one male and one female officer? So too, culturally responsive organizational policies and procedures support staff engagement in culturally responsive care by establishing access to training, supervision, and congruent policies and procedures that enable staff to respond in a culturally appropriate manner to offender psychological, linguistic, and physical needs. This punishment is also compared to vengeance. In order for these theories to work effectively, punishment must certain and timely. This model was used extensively through the 1970s until a study indicated rehabilitation didnt work. - Definition, Strategies & Examples, What Are Cultural Barriers to Communication in the Workplace? This will result in the need for a change in practice for religious ministries and may cause an increase in individual forms of spirituality and religious reflection. Support your answer with information from the readings. It can escalate, said co-author and Princeton University political scientist Jonathan Mummolo. The development of cultural competence can have far-reaching effects not only for offender, but also for providers and communities. What impact to you feel specialized programs such as the one discussed above on rehabilitation? People from many different cultures with different values, faiths, and sets of beliefs call the US home. Furthermore, cultural norms in legal matters differ. Examples of racial disparities in addiction treatment include differences in: access to quality treatment. This information was initially geared toward the therapeutic professional but can be easily adapted to fit the correctional professional. This case scenario has been chosen to reflect how cultural diversity has affected every aspect of racial relations, including the criminal justice system. [i] The median number of hours for . Recidivism is the general concept that these references, but recidivism can consist of: arrest for a new crime, conviction for a new crime, reincarceration for a new crime, or various outcomes for violating the conditions of release (on probation or parole supervision). Poverty has always been a better indicator for the propensity to commit property crimes which are economically driven, often motivated by the abuse/addiction of alcohol and other drugs. This is significant to faith representatives who will need to be well-versed in a variety of faiths and cultural perspectives. Some transgender persons are in the process of changing their physiognomy via sexual re-assignment when they reach our jails. Twenty-two percent were receiving a form of welfare, 16% were drug dealing and 15% were involved in other illegal activities. A similar trend appears in Wichita, Kansas where one-quarter of all people on probation or parole live in only 8% of the citys neighborhoods. Culture is made up of languages, beliefs, values, traditions, and customs. This is where a person sees the criminal get punished and therefore does not commit a crime because they do not want to receive the same punishment. In the criminal justice sector we see issues such as racial profiling, discrimination amongst others. But little has been said thus far concerning the continuation of the surgical procedures. Find out more. A shift towards a rehabilitative correction system has been a growing movement among many states. Female officers of all races also use less force than males. The tendency is to treat recidivism as a terminal or final condition (it happened, or it did not). The three parts of the justice system address these tasks in different ways. An individuals cultural identity reflects the values, norms, and worldview of the larger culture, but it is de- fined by more than these factors. Today, nearly 8 million American adults and 650,000 youth are involved with the justice system (see Pew Foundation, 2009; Taxman, Perdoni, & Harrison, 2007). Judges need to use discretion in order to do their job, because the law cannot foresee every possibility. Cultural competency is a critical factor in nursing, and throughout the healthcare system, to best serve the needs of all patients. Language is pervasive throughout the criminal justice system. Over the course of 100 shifts, Black officers made, on average, about 16 fewer stops and two fewer arrests a 20% to 30% reduction compared to white officers in comparable scenarios. Incarceration affects life prospects including reduced hourly wages for men by approximately 11%, reduced annual employment by 9 weeks, and reduced annual earnings by 40%. While the incarceration of persistent offenders has probably affected the crime rate, the same policies for drug and misdemeanor offenders has only served to expand the incarceration population and intensify problems associated with offenders resuming life in their communities. Fletcher, Michelle N., "Cultural Competency in Law Enforcement: Assessing Cultural Competence Levels among College Campus Police Departments" (2014). This issue brief offers four ideas to reform the criminal justice system, including improved police training; data collection and accountability; repairing the fractured relationship between . Police officers can become more culturally aware by . For example, see Wolfe v. Horn, (2001), which states that transsexualism [transgenderism] has been characterized as a serious medical need and Kosilek v. Maloney, 2002). affect the ability of people to resume full citizenship and become contributing members of society. Culturally responsive skills can improve offender engagement in services, therapeutic relationships between offender and providers, and treatment retention and outcomes. . An example would . Within a nation, race, or community, people belong to multiple cultural groups and negotiate multiple cultural expectations on a daily basis. The cultural diversity within the white community primarily arises from the individuals' ethnic affiliation (e.g., Polish, Irish, Italian, etc. Recidivism is when an offender is returned to custody for a violation of supervised release or commit a new offense while under supervision. Yet, U.S. sentence lengths are virtually unmatched. In the last four decades, U.S. policies and practices have emphasized incarceration as the only legitimate punishment. Although nearly 70% of those involved in the justice system are on probation or parole, the probation and parole in the U.S. is underfunded and undervalued (Taxman. The information contained in this lesson applies primarily to the American justice system. It has been noted that there are issues of unethical practices, discrimination, bias and prejudice which are perpetrated against the American minority communities. Correctional professionals and administrators should understand that each offender embraces his or her culture(s) in a unique way and that there is considerable diversity within and across races, ethnicities, and culture heritages. This system consists of parts which include the police, the courts, and prisons. Unfortunately, drugs are readily available in prisons being smuggled in by friends, family, trustees and sometimes by prison employees. Cultural competence is not acquired in a limited time frame or by learning a set of facts about specific populations; cultures are diverse and continuously evolving. This course provides an in-depth examination of the opportunities and challenges of delivering criminal and juvenile justice services in a multicultural society. Colonization of indigenous populations that started in the 15th century later European colonization of Africa and migration flows . County funding from the state actually depends on the recidivism rates and rates of prison sentences from each county. When vague or new laws need to be enforced, a judge has to use his or her discretion to determine the appropriate course of action. It reduced many crimes such and drug use and theft to misdemeanors. State and federal governments are aware of this disparity, and researchers and policymakers are studying the drivers behind the statistics and what strategies might be employed to address the disparities, ensuring evenhanded processes at all points in the . These policies include mandatory minimums, increased incarceration periods, increased conditions attached to probation and parole, increased technical violations and the failure of parole boards to release offenders. We should discuss two terms before diving into our examples, bias and stereotype. In 2020, we. Bias is the tendency of people to become prejudiced either for or against an idea or course of action based on reasons unrelated to the evidence. Transgender people typically are placed directly into protective custody with little opportunity to waive out. Culture is the conceptual system developed by a community or society to structure the way people view the world. As society and the law enforcement workforce become more diverse, however, the ability to manage cultural diversity becomes essential. The CJA scrutinises criminal justice policies and practices for their discriminatory impact andcalls for changes to improve outcomes for individuals with protected characteristics. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. To that end, we need to undo our focus on incarceration by pursuing a range of punishments that address the underlying cause of criminal behavior. That is, these practices present brick walls. If we intend to undo the consequences while protecting public safety, we have to begin by addressing some common misconceptions. Punishment as a means of providing hard treatment to convey disapproval for wrongdoing is driven by four primary goals: incapacitation, retribution, deterrence, and rehabilitation. The cultural diversity training movement has arisen out of a growing sense of urgency regarding tensions in police-minority relations. In addition, 1 in 23 Americans aged 18 to 65 is involved in the justice system; 1in 28 children have a parent incarcerated, and 1 in 5 American adults have a criminal record (Glaze, 2009; Glaze &. Despite a decreasing crime rate, the number of people involved in the justice system during that time ballooned by 293% (Bonczar 2003; Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional Surveys, 2009). In eastern Iowa, a Chinese national students parents were arrested for bribery and tampering with a witness, but the charges were dropped when it was revealed that they were operating under a different set of expectations from the legal system. We have a lot of policies that were adopted based on hunches or intuitions, he said. A textual chain follows a person from the moment they are arrested until their day in court, and it is all underpinned by meticulously . Cultural Training Course Overview. Most officers respond the same way to violent crimes such as armed robbery or assault. Introduction. correctional institutions religious practice is in the form of many faiths, with the most prevalent being the Judeo-Christian faith. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. This police officer is making his decision based on stereotypes about how people of color earn their money. After the passage of AB 109, offenders could be jailed for up to decades depending on the number of charges. While the incarceration of persistent offenders has probably affected the crime rate, the same policies for drug and misdemeanor offenders has only served to expand the incarceration population and intensify problems associated with offenders resuming life in their communities. Cultural norms in other countries can also cause criminal justice issues domestically.

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