Journal of Economic Literature
ISSN 0022-0515 (Print) | ISSN 2328-8175 (Online)
Racial Disparities in the Criminal Legal System: Shadows of Doubt and Beyond
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 62,
no. 2, June 2024
(pp. 761–806)
Abstract
Racial disparities permeate every single stage of the criminal legal process. In Shadows of Doubt: Stereotypes, Crime, and the Pursuit of Justice, Brendan O'Flaherty and Rajiv Sethi shed light on the stereotype-driven biases that contribute to these disparities. In this article, I review the compelling evidence in the book and expand upon it by outlining the myriad intertwining mechanisms contributing to racial disparities in criminal legal contact. I argue that reducing stereotype-driven biases is a crucial step toward equity, but a broader systemic overhaul is necessary to substantively address the entrenched racial biases in the criminal legal system.Citation
Agan, Amanda Y. 2024. "Racial Disparities in the Criminal Legal System: Shadows of Doubt and Beyond." Journal of Economic Literature, 62 (2): 761–806. DOI: 10.1257/jel.20221569Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- K14 Criminal Law
- K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law