Racial Disproportionality in U.S. State Prisons: Accounting for the Effects of Racial and Ethnic Differences in Criminal Involvement, Arrests, Sentencing, and Time Served

ConclusionsOur more accurate accountability results contradict the NAS report of low and declining accountability. Regional accountability estimates show no consistently stronger or weaker region. We also show a corrected national estimate of the ratio of black-to-white incarceration-rates has dropped from 6.8 in 1990 to 4.7 in 2011, an important correction to concerns of increasing discrimination. Reports of offenders ’ race by victims and arrestees’ race are found to be close, supporting use of arrest as an indicator of involvement in violent crimes.
Source: Journal of Quantitative Criminology - Category: Criminology Source Type: research