NCJ Number
138771
Date Published
1990
Length
200 pages
Annotation
Racial minorities in British society and racial issues in the British criminal justice system are examined, with emphasis on the results of an exploratory survey of social inquiry reports prepared by courts for the probation service of Leicester.
Abstract
An overview presents historical background and a discussion of the trend toward a multiracial society after World War II. The criminal justice system is then described, with emphasis on general issues, cultural influences, and increasing cultural awareness in law enforcement, court proceedings, and sentencing. The exploratory survey examined 24 social inquiry reports prepared on black and Asian offenders in 1986 to determine the existence of positive or negative racial discrimination, the influence of race on report-writing practices, and implications for further research. A multiracial panel analyzed the reports. Findings indicated that both positive and negative racial biases exist and that report writers select from three general frameworks in analyzing a particular case. Thus, they might conclude (1) that cultural conflict explained the offender's behavior, (2) that race was only a marginal factor in the crime, or (3) that the offender was "alien" because of rejecting British values. The analyses also revealed that complex and diverse factors are at work in the criminal justice system and in British society and suggested the future possibility of an effective multiracial criminal justice system. Figures, appended tables, and 131 references