Institutional Racism, Culture, Society and its Impacts on the Criminal Justice within the UK - Essay Example

Section/# al Racism, Culture, Society and its Impacts on the Criminal Justice within the United Kingdom Abstract: The issue of race and ethnicity has long been understood by scholars as having a profound impact upon identity and the means by which society is represented. As such, the following analysis will consider these determinants with respect to the case of the United Kingdom and the degree and extent to which institutional racism has an impact upon defining the criminal justice system within the United Kingdom. The situation in describing inequality, class, poverty, race, and many other social constructs is the fact that these particular constructs do not lend themselves readily to a categorical identification. The obvious and underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that categorical interpretations of groups is oftentimes flawed; mainly due to the fact that groups are inherently made up of a litany of different types of individuals. These individuals necessarily have their own worldview, approach, background, class, and other factors that help define and constrain them in a way that broad and general identifications and definitions cannot. According to the query for this particular analysis, the student is required to discuss how institutional racism can be described, measured, and whether or not any causal relationship exists between class and inequality. Moreover, the relevance of class, race, and inequality have an especially profound level of meaning with respect to existing scholarship. As such, the discussion will be concentric upon explaining how segregation into distinct social spheres (neighborhoods), what historical forces compound this, how racially distinct neighborhoods vary in poverty and social disadvantage, and how surrounding neighborhoods affect the levels of violent crime, how this violent crime can be reduced. With regard to institutional racism at its broadest levels, the segregation into distinct neighborhoods and the lack of empathy and understanding that a criminal justice stakeholder might have with respect to this is a solid sociological construct that has existed since the dawn of time. This reality can be understood historically. Due to the fact that the United Kingdom has been heavily influenced by the impacts of immigration, the power of this influx of “new” people into the United Kingdom has created a need for a high level of housing space for them to live (Ahmed, 2007). Naturally, as immigrants from all over the world began to arrive in the United Kingdom, they found themselves at a distinct disadvantage; oftentimes not speaking the language and having few if any opportunities. As a function of this, and the level of rejection that they received by clannish groups of more established British, ghettos began to pop up all over the nation. Looking further back in history, the freedom from slavery and the dissolution of the colonies brought a situation to the United Kingdom in which tens of thousands of new immigrants flocked to a racially and culturally distinct corner of the globe in the hope of finding a better life. Sadly, this search oftentimes led to a dead end; as these individuals could not afford the type of lifestyle they hoped for, could not find gainful employment that could satisfy their needs, and were largely shunned by the residents of the communities they sought to integrate with. One of the more nebulous of the concepts which has been discussed above is necessarily that of race. Ultimately, race has been used as means of categorizing humans by cultural, genetic, geographic, anatomical, linguistic, social, religious, or historical means. As a function of this, the very definition of race is something that sociologists and anthropologists continue to argue about. Due to the many determinants of race that exist, is oftentimes been decided that since no working and firm definition of what defines one and what defines another can readily be agreed upon, ethnicity, or the means by which an individual is defined as a result of culture and geographic origin, is a far better identifier of people. Broadly speaking, race, and racial definitions is something that the stakeholder within the criminal justice system must integrate with; whether or not they are of the opinion that such a definition is ultimately helpful. Due to the fact that the stakeholder within the criminal justice system is responsible not only for integrating directly with the society but also with explicating and defining the means by which past history has taken place and continues impact upon the stakeholders within the classroom, race is not a topic that can merely be brushed aside and deemed as a prior an unsuccessful method of grouping individuals. The fact of the matter is that even as academia and society as a whole differs upon an approach and appreciation for such a concept, it remains incumbent upon the stakeholder within the criminal justice system, and educational process by extension, to continue to place a level and degree of focus upon the importance that race necessarily engenders. Regardless of the potentially flawed an incomplete understanding and appreciation for how race impacts upon the individual and society that the students might necessarily have, it is incumbent upon the stakeholder within the criminal justice system to seek to distance himself/herself from any of these faulty pre-conceived and ultimately unscientific interpretations (Baumer, 2013). However, this must be done delicately in with a degree of understanding that encourages discourse while the same time maintaining civility and promoting individual and group rights within the student body. Within such a dynamic, it is possible for the stakeholder within the criminal justice system to seek to broach the topic with as little intrusion and divergence into unhelpful interpretations and norms as is possible. Similarly, ethnicity, and its interpretation within modern scholarship, is something of the golden standard with respect to seeking to differentiate one individual/group from another. However, it should not be understood that such an approach is invariably on flawed. Rather than relying upon racial distinction as a means of defining one group from another, and ethnic approach necessarily places the primary emphasis upon geographic region of origin and/or cultural influences that impact upon the individual. In much the same way, the stakeholder within the criminal justice system might just as well as a a second-generation German immigrants who resided in Mexico for most of his formative years as Mexican. Further, from the stakeholder within the criminal justice system’s standpoint, ethnicity, and the interpretation thereof, has become one of the primal means by which individuals within the current world seek to differentiate themselves from their peers (Walsh & Yun, 2011). Whereas the other aspects which of us far been discussed have necessarily focus upon the means and the extent to which the stakeholder within the criminal justice system will find it necessary to engage with a social understanding of self identity and definition of “the other”, multiculturalism represents the means by which all of the positive aspects of social cohesion, understanding, and appreciation can be affected. In short, multiculturalism is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “Relating to or containing several cultural or ethnic groups within a society” (Wood, 2009). In such a way, multiculturalism can also be seen as a way in which several different cultures can coexist peacefully and equitable within a given society. The historical roots of the multicultural approach can be traced back to the early 1960s; during the civil right struggles from the communal action of immigrants and other people of colour. This desire to challenge the discriminatory practices which were evidenced in many of the public institutions, inclusive of schools served as the fundamental backbone of the multiculturalist movement (Foster et al., 2005). As support for this grew, activists, community leaders, and parents called for curricular reform and insisted on a re-examination of hiring practices. Moreover, they demanded that stakeholders should be more consistent with the racial diversity in the country. Such an understanding reveals the high levels of discrimination that occurred in the educational institutions before and during 1960 and also helps the reader to understand why the multiculturalists’ movement specifically grew and developed at this precise moment in history as a response to inequalities of the era. James A. Banks, the founding director of the Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington was one of the pioneers of multicultural approach to both education and criminal justice; and was among the first multicultural educational scholars to examine schools as social systems from a multicultural context (Tcherni, 2011). He grounded his conceptualization of multicultural society in the idea of “equality” being the prime need that all organizations and public entities should strive towards. According to Banks, in order to maintain a “multicultural and ethical environment”, all aspects society and societal consciousness had to be examined and transformed; including policies, cultures, instructional materials, assessment methods, punishment apparatus, and teaching styles (Tcherni, 2011). Ultimately, the preceding analysis has lain out a careful framework and rubric with which individuals have sought to define their own identity and the identities of others. More often than not, this identity definition and creation necessarily puts one group at a distinct disadvantage; oftentimes even discriminated against. However, the power that multiculturalism, the final concept which is been defined and elaborated upon within this analysis, works to accomplish an overarching and appreciative framework by which individuals can be understood and defined based upon nonjudgmental terms. Whereas ethnicity and race oftentimes hold the potential to disparage one group at the expense of another or to raise one group upon the backs of another, multiculturalism holds all things equal as a means of providing a greater level of inclusion (Potter et al., 2011). It is this very level of inclusion with an education which is, and should be, the standard to which each and every stakeholder within the criminal justice system strides. This is of course not to say that multiculturalism represents the final growth and development of the educational process. However, it is to say that multiculturalism represents one of the most effective means by which the current stakeholder within the criminal justice system can seek to integrate with all stakeholders within the educational process in a fair and equitable manner. Sadly, the Steven Lawrence case draws a special focus to the way in which institutional racism can create a deviant culture within the criminal justice system and/or within the police. As was noted, the ability of either of these organizations to effect positive change in society is not only contingent upon the laws that they are tasked to uphold; instead, it is also highly contingent upon the degree and extent to which the individuals represented within such organizations value the charge that they are given – to be fare, equitable, and un-biased in their attempts to uphold the law (Holdaway & O’Neil, 2006). As was patently evident, systemic levels of deviant culture within the law enforcement community in and around the time of the Steven Lawrence murder made it all but impossible for such a level of ethics to be upheld. Instead, officers and other stakeholders within the criminal justice system merely seemed to skip over this case as it involved a black man being killed by whites; without any other justification besides racial motivation. Yet, beyond systemic culture, it must also be understood that notions of race and institutional racism are constructed by the existence of racially distinct neighborhoods and how they are represented. Due to the fact that the police force are oftentimes culturally and racially distinct from these neighborhoods, the level to which they can identify with and appreciate the humanity of those that come from them is greatly reduced. A great differential continues to exist with regards to racially distinct neighborhoods and the overall level of wealth and/or opportunity that is represented (Kitossa, 2012). For instance, a racially distinct neighborhood within a developed and prosperous region is necessarily incomparable to a racially distinct neighborhood within a poor and relatively un-developed state. In such a way, the analyst can see that the baseline differential between communities that are racially distinct is a dangerous point of analysis; and one that can invariably lead the researcher to come to erroneous and otherwise incomplete conclusions. With respect to the text in question, the main part of the research was accomplished by comparing ethnically and socially comparable, as well as dissimilar, regions as a means of determining how race, class, and inequality were represented within general social trends. For instance, the researchers noted that an individual from an upper middle class, or upper-class family, is invariably more likely to find success in the field that they pursue. This is due to primary factors. First of these is with regards to the overall level of monetary resources that this individual is able to leverage; both from their family and from their own personal efforts. The secondary factor has to do with the fact that an individual from a mid-upper-class socioeconomic or class status is an individual that necessarily has connections which they can leverage as a means of getting ahead. As a function of the class connection, an individual that seeks even an entry-level position in a firm that could ultimately provide them with the continuation of their middle upper-middle-class existence is oftentimes to financial independence and success that society has so oftentimes steamed (Meadors & Murray, 2014). Sadly, by the same measurement, and unbelievably gifted that has passed all of the requirements, achieved recognition in secondary and postsecondary education, if indeed they are able to engage with this at all, stands a greatly diminished chance of landing an entry-level job at an established and well respected firm. Oftentimes, the impact of class is not considered to the extent that it should be. Naturally, as identifiers such as this come to be reaffirmed within society, the identity of the individual is formed and an expectation of future crime or the level to which the individual will integrate within society is created. All of these factors contribute to the way in which the criminal justice system is defined and the means by which it operates. An ancillary question that necessarily comes to mind has to do with the question of how surrounding neighborhoods further affect levels of violent crimes and the way in which this information can be utilized as a means of decreasing violent crime within the United Kingdom. Ultimately, the text presents the reader with the understanding that that years of social disengagement that takes place in racially distinct and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods allows a level of self worth to be diminished. Moreover, inherent jealousy and frustration also factors greatly into the way in which individuals from these communities interact with their counterparts in other less economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. This ultimately leads to a situation in which the value of life and the day to day struggles that are engaged within these neighborhoods significantly differ from the day to day life experiences and value of life that are engaged in others. As a means of ameliorating this differential and promoting less violence, it is absolutely integral to seek to build the sense of identity and self worth that exist within these disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country. Naturally, this is easier said than done; however, the education system as well as specific government programs can effect a dramatic change in the way that identity, self worth, and understanding is represented. Due to the level to which poverty robs the individual and society of the level of humanity that has herein been described, it can readily be noted that poverty represents something of an umbrella term for which many of the societal issues that the current system faces must seek to integrate with. Rather than choosing to grapple with each of these externalities in a separate manner, the far better approach would be to realize that poverty represents the most fundamental harm and seek a better means of reducing its existence and occurrence. As can easily be inferred from the information that has thus far been presented, the issue at hand is not only of a purely sociological nature. Instead, ethical standards, psychological issues, and a host of other factors all tied deeply in to the issue of inequality, poverty, and homelessness that are represented throughout the United Kingdom, and throughout the rest of the world for that matter. Although it is not expected that a few policy changes can drastically impact upon the reality that has thus far been defined, a differentiated approach to the manner through which private and public entities engage with the issue of inequality and understand it as a root problem that impacts upon almost each and every aspect of society will most certainly have a more positive impact as compared to the approaches that have thus far been utilized in seeking to address this issue. From the information that is thus far been engaged, it can definitively be noted that a distinct and clear correlation exists between class and inequality. Although it is true that this is not the only contingent factor that impacts upon inequality within society, it can and has been successfully argued that it is perhaps one of the most profound. Moreover, is also been realized that even though inequality is something of a daunting metric, it can in fact be measured within any particular group, society, nation, region, or class. By categorizing averages, measuring standard deviations, and analyzing the differentials between rich and poor, inequality can effectively be understood in mathematical terms. However, with that being said, it must also be warned that a data intensive analysis of inequality oftentimes lends the researcher to misunderstand the reality is that it portends. Accordingly, from the analysis that has thus far been engaged, it is the distinctive understanding of this author that inequality is a nuanced, class driven, specific, and measurable reality that exists within the current world. Yet, even such an understanding is not even touch upon the manner through which stakeholders within society can seek to impact upon inequality. Although this particular analysis has not provided a prescriptive change for impacting upon inequality, a discussion and review of the determinant metrics that define it has most certainly prompted this author to engage with an understanding of the fact that equal access to education, both primary, secondary, graduate, and postgraduate must be affected in order for inequality be diminished throughout society and within the criminal justice system. Moreover, even a cursory analysis of those nations around the world that demonstrate the highest level of equality necessarily indicates that a socialist government with free, or extraordinarily subsidized education, offer the best opportunities for individuals from any socioeconomic strata, class, or poverty level to achieve similar goals; provided they apply themselves effectively to achieve these goals. Bibliography Ahmed, S 2007, ‘You end up doing the document rather than doing the doing: diversity, race equality and the politics of documentation’. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30(4): 590-609 Baumer, EP 2013, Reassessing and Redirecting Research on Race and Sentencing, JQ: Justice Quarterly, 30, 2, pp. 231-261, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 17 May 2014. Foster, J Newburn, T & Souhami, A 2005, Assessing the impact of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. London: Home Office. 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