In the United States, one in nine black men aged twenty to thirty-four is incarcerated. One in three black men can expect to be incarcerated at some point in their lives (Tonry, 2010). Rates for black men far exceed those of any other race. For example, the incarceration rate for black men is nearly seven times that of white men. Why is this? The impact of demographically concentrated incarceration rates on offenders, families, and communities is a significant social concern. The racial disparity between black and white men is a major problem we have seen over the years, especially in today's society. Black men are 1 in 3 times more likely to be imprisoned, while white men are 1 in 17 times (Tonry, 2010). Why is there such a big difference between the races and how are these black men being targeted? Numerous studies have shown that black men are overrepresented in the criminal justice system due to racial discrimination. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Black people, especially men, have been targeted since the dawn of time in America. Racial disparities in the American criminal justice system began in the antebellum era. The Antebellum era was a time when cotton boomed in the South. Before the Civil War, Southern states did not use the penal system as a form of punishment. Before 1870, the majority of the prison population was white (Guffey, 2012). Black people were imprisoned, but in a different way: in slavery. Since black people were enslaved, punishment was carried out by their owner. It was not until the 1960s that criminologists began to realize the existence of racial conflicts in the justice system (Guffey, 2012). Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation between blacks and whites in 1877. These laws were a reaction to Reconstruction and were based on the theory of white supremacy (Guffey, 2012). Southern states began limiting voting rights only to those who own property, are well read, pay poll taxes, and those whose grandfathers were able to vote. These laws allowed segregation in parks, schools, bathrooms, prisons, hospitals, and orphanages (Guffey, 2012). Black people in Alabama were not allowed to leave their residences after 10:00 p.m. In South Carolina, black and white textile workers were not allowed to work in the same room or even look out the same window. Everything and everyone was “separate but equal.” Eighty-seven years later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which abolished Jim Crow laws (Guffey, 2012). Black people have been targeted for years and still are today. There are flaws in the U.S. criminal justice system that allow Black people, especially men, to become and remain victims of disparities. The potential for disparity begins with an arrest, which is sometimes linked to traffic stops. Although the majority of offenses result in a warning or ticket, these interactions can serve as an entry into the criminal justice system (Dunn, 2009). Studies by Brian Kowalski and Richard Lundman have shown that black men are more likely to be stopped by law enforcement for minor infractions such as: speeding, not using turn signals, turning the wrong way lane, drive without headlights and turn into the street. badway (Dunn, 2009). Black men are seen as the central target due to stereotypes and biases that they are prone to criminal activity by law enforcement or the criminal system itself. On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by Officer Jeronimo Yanez during a 62-second encounter. Philando Castile was stopped by Yanez due to a problem with his brake light (Park, 2017). Another cop, Officer Joseph Kauser, arrived shortly after as backup and approached the passenger side of the car (Park, 2017). Yanez requested Castile's driver's license and proof of insurance. Castile gave Yanez his insurance card and he put it in his uniform pocket. Castile then told Yanez he had a licensed firearm in his possession. Yanez interrupted him while he was speaking, said “Okay,” and placed his hand on his gun holster (Park, 2017). Yanez then told Castile not to reach for him, but Castile said he was not reaching for his gun. Castille's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, reiterated that he was out of gun range. Yanez yelled not to pull his gun, fired 7 times, hitting Castile 5 times (Park, 2017). Not only was Castile's girlfriend in the car, but also his 4-year-old daughter. Prior to this incident, in 2011, Yanez had an encounter with law enforcement with Castile over a faulty brake light. After a record check, Castile was arrested and convicted of driving with a revoked license. Since 2002, Philando Castile has been arrested over 49 times, which is far more than any average person in their lifetime (Park, 2017). Yanez was charged with second degree manslaughter and 2 counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm. After a 2-week trial and 5 days of deliberation, Yanez was found not guilty, upon a separation agreement from the police department and $48,500. The ministry will also pay him up to 600 hours of personal leave (Park, 2017). The real reason Yanez stopped Castile was not only for a stop light, but also because he looked like an armed robbery suspect (Park, 2017). This unfair treatment of black people continues to erupt in American society. Robin Engel and Jennifer Calnon studied the disparate treatment of driving-related interactions with the law and found that many disparities exist between Black and White men (Crutchfield, Fernandez, & Martinez, 2010). Black men are at increased risk of traffic violations, car searches, arrests, and use of force by police compared to White men (Crutchfield et al., 2010). There is a 47 percent increase for a black male victim of a traffic violation compared to a white male (Crutchfield et al., 2010). Black men experience a 50% increase in car searches compared to white men. Studies have also shown that arrested white drivers are more likely to have illegal substances in possession than black men (Crutchfield et al., 2010). These results are important because traffic stops provide a gateway to the system, especially if/when disparities are present. This sets the stage for cumulative effects as the individual continues through the justice system. Black men are often stereotyped because of the color of their skin. Research on the influence of dark skin tones shows that negative stereotypes are a cause of black men's downfall in the criminal justice system (Rehavi and Starr, 2014). This causes black men to be punished more harshly than white men. In a study of more than 67000 criminals incarcerated in Georgia for their first offense between 1995 and 2002, black men were sentenced to 378 days more than white men. Black faces were thought to appear more criminal than white faces (Rehavi and Starr, 2014). Conservative, Protestant, white Americans tend to support harsh punishments, including the death penalty. Black Americans support harsh sanctions, but at lower rates. Misrepresentations in the criminal justice system lead Black people to believe the system is biased. The most comprehensive study on capital punishment shows that there was a 30-point racial gap in 2004 (whites made up 72.5 percent and blacks 41.7 percent) (Crutchfield et al., 2010) . This gap has not changed since 1974 (Whites were at 69.8 percent while Blacks were at 39.9 percent) and has remained stable between the two (Crutchfield et al., 2010). The question is what explains this discrepancy. The best indicator of white support for capital punishment in our time is racial resentment: "Taken together, existing studies yield remarkably consistent results: negative views of African Americans—what scholars in this field domain called “racism” or “racial animosity” – predict a range of political attitudes, including greater support for capital punishment. (Crutchfield et al., 2010).Harvard sociologist Lawrence Bobo created two nationally representative surveys on race, crime, and public opinion. The 2001 Race, Crime, and Public Opinion Study included 1,010 black respondents and 978 white respondents (Tonry, 2010). Only 38 percent of whites said they believed the criminal justice system was biased against blacks, while 89 percent of blacks said the opposite. Only 8 percent of blacks said the justice system treats all races fairly, compared to 56 percent of whites (Tonry, 2010). Seventy-eight percent of whites expressed confidence that judges treat blacks and whites equally, compared to only 28 percent of blacks (Tonry, 2010). Regarding the police, the gap was even greater: 68 percent of whites expressed confidence in the police and only 18 percent of blacks expressed confidence (Tonry, 2010). This clearly shows the need for efficiency in the criminal justice system. Celesta Albonetti assessed the disparate state of criminal justice processing after sentencing reforms to determine whether non-legal factors continued to be an important factor in determining the length of federal drug trafficking sentences. . case (Rehavi and Starr, 2014). She found that extra-legal factors, including: gender, race and ethnicity, citizenship status, and education, have direct and significant effects on sentence outcome, even when taking into account legally relevant variables defined by the guidelines (Rehavi and Starr, 2014). The likelihood of incarceration and sentence length remain strongly influenced by the type of drug offense. Although offense type was a factor, race and ethnicity also appeared to condition the effect of the factors imposed by the guidelines (Rehavi & Starr, 2014). Albonetti's work presents a moderate level of disparity with the significant protections of sentencing reforms that were designed to limit the discretion of individual judges and deter the use of extra-legal factors in deciding sentences (Rehavi and Starr, 2014). Incarceration disparity can be measured in absolute terms and.