African American Family

Question 1:

(a)

Black women’s fertility rates have decreased over the past ten years, falling between 70.8 births per 1,000 women in 2008 to 62.0 in 2018. This shows that Black women are having children simultaneously as they might be starting school or their careers. African women have had 2.1 children on average by the time they reach the ages of 15 to 50). Second, Black children are raised in diverse family types, comprising partnered, de facto partner, co-parenting, and single-parent families. Sixty-four per cent of Black children live in single-parent households, which might include unmarried partners or other families as well as single parents. 60 per cent of Black women aged 15 to 50 who were married or lived with a partner were at the time of their first child’s birth, and 40% of women were neither married nor cohabitating with an unmarried partner (Lloyd et al., 2021)

 (b)

African American families typically have larger households than white families, with a higher proportion of extended family members residing there. This might result from cultural norms that place more significance on kinship relationships, communal assistance, and the necessity for economic resource sharing to make ends meet (Taylor, 2021).

 (c)

The growing population of African American children reared in poverty is a complex issue attributed to various factors. Here are some of the main factors contributing to this problem (American Psychological Association, 2022):

1. African American families have lower wealth and assets than white families, which limits their ability to provide for their children’s basic needs. This gap is largely the result of historical and ongoing discrimination in areas such as housing, employment, and education(American Psychological Association, 2022).
2. Many African American children attend schools with fewer resources and lower-quality education, leading to limited opportunities for academic achievement and future employment(American Psychological Association, 2022).

• African American families are more likely to reside in locations with a shortage of affordable housing, which can lead to unstable housing conditions, overcrowding, and homelessness. Children’s academic performance may suffer. As a result, their physical and emotional health(American Psychological Association, 2022).

1. Due to the disproportionate representation of African Americans in the criminal justice system, many African American parents are imprisoned. Children may experience financial hardship, emotional distress, and family disturbance.

 (d)

A thorough strategy is required to deal with these problems. In order to close the racial wealth gap, measures that advance economic equality and lessen institutional prejudice must be implemented. Increased access to healthcare and other social services is one possibility, as are deliberate investments in education and job training initiatives, legislation to combat racial discrimination and advance fair housing standards, and focused investments in these areas.

Last but not least, addressing the disproportionate representation of African Americans in the criminal justice system is crucial. This can entail putting into practice laws that lessen the number of individuals incarcerated and support alternatives to it, such as restorative justice and community-based initiatives. Supporting jailed families, including those whose members have children, may also be necessary.

Question 2

Racism against African Americans in the US criminal justice system is a pervasive issue documented through multiple examples, literature, and statistics. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), African Americans make up only 13% of the US population but account for 40% of the incarcerated population illustrates one of the best examples of racism; the disproportionate representation of African Americans in the criminal justice system(NAACP, 2021).

Furthermore, a study conducted by the US Sentencing Commission found that African American men receive sentences that are, on average, 19.1% longer than white men for similar crimes, showing that African Americans are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and sentenced to longer prison terms compared to white Americans, even for similar offences. Another independent study by the ACLU found that African Americans are nearly four times more likely than white Americans to be arrested for drug offences, despite similar rates of drug use (Racial Disparity in Marijuana Arrests, 2020).

Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness examines the depth of racism toward African Americans in the US criminal justice system. She argues that the system unfairly targets and punishes African Americans, resulting in the development of a new caste structure that upholds racial discrimination and inequality. She also highlights the presence of unconscious bias in the criminal justice system, which can influence each stage of the process.

In light of these findings, it is clear that racial neutrality in the US justice system is not possible. The system has been designed to operate in a way that disproportionately targets and punishes African Americans. A more comprehensive approach is needed that addresses the root causes of racism in the criminal justice system, including implicit bias, historical and ongoing discrimination, and the racial wealth gap.

Question 3

I am of the view that there I there racial bias within the US criminal justice system against African Americans. There is strong evidence to prove this.

Studies have shown that African Americans are more likely to be stopped, searched, and arrested by law enforcement officers than white Americans (Racial Disparity in Marijuana Arrests, 2020). This is true even when controlling crime rates, socioeconomic status, and location. Additionally, African Americans are more likely to be charged with and convicted of crimes than white Americans and more likely to receive harsher sentences (Kovera, 2019).

Racial prejudice has a variety of effects on the American criminal justice system. The most common method is through punitive criminal regulations like three-strikes statutes and mandatory minimum penalties. Black Americans and other minority groups are disproportionately affected by these practices, resulting in greater incarceration rates and lengthier prison terms.

Black Americans make up a disproportionately large fraction of the prison population in incarceration. Black Americans make up 40% of the prison population despite making up only 13% of the US population.

Michelle Alexander’s book “The New Jim Crow” suggests that these problems can be addressed through legal reforms, policy changes, and social activism. She suggests that the criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation and restorative justice and that public opinion should shift towards greater empathy and understanding of the experiences of African Americans and other marginalized groups.

References

Lloyd, C., Alvira-Hammond, M., Carlson, J., & Logan, D. (2021, March 5). Family, Economic, and Geographic Characteristics of Black Families with Children. Child Trends. https://www.childtrends.org/publications/family-economic-and-geographic-characteristics-of-black-families-with-children

Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Cross, C. J. (2021). Taking diversity seriously: Within‐group heterogeneity in African American extended family support networks. Journal of Marriage and Family, 83(5), 1349–1372.

Criminal Justice Fact Sheet | NAACP. (2021, May 24). Naacp.org. https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet#:~:text=32%25%20of%20the%20US%20population%20is%20represented%20by

American Psychological Association. (2022). Exploring the mental health effects of poverty, hunger, and homelessness on children and teens. Apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/socioeconomic-status/poverty-hunger-homelessness-children

Racial Disparity In Marijuana Arrests. (2020). NORML. https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/racial-disparity-in-marijuana-arrests/

Kovera, M. B. (2019). Racial disparities in the criminal justice system: Prevalence, causes, and a search for solutions. Journal of Social Issues, 75(4), 1139-1164