Race and Justice

Issue 14(3) of Race and Justice focuses on the critical themes of policing, protest, and racial (in)justice, offering timely scholarship that addresses the urgent need for evidence-based solutions to racially disparate police violence and the criminalization of dissent. The issue aims to influence policy, activism, and public discourse through rigorous empirical and theoretical work.

BACKGROUND

This edition brings together research that explores the enduring impacts of historical racial violence and its contemporary manifestations within the criminal justice system. It emphasizes the intersectionality of race and policing, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the broader societal impacts of these injustices. The articles and research notes featured are rooted in a diverse array of methodological perspectives, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.

KEY FINDINGS

  1. Lyons, Painter-Davis, and Medaris: Linked historical lynchings to current racial disparities in police shootings.
  2. Farrell: Found Black women face more invasive police actions than white women in stop-and-frisk situations.
  3. Iwama and Colleagues: Revealed significant racial disparities in school disciplinary practices contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline.
  4. Lautenschlager: Connected historical lynchings, modern gentrification, and aggressive policing of Black and Brown communities.
  5. Novick and Pickett: Showed that protests influence public opinion and can drive policy changes after police killings.
  6. Metcalfe and Baker: Found that procedural injustice erodes trust in the legal system among Black individuals.
  7. DeAngelis: Demonstrated systemic racism in police shootings, with Black victims more likely to be killed despite lower likelihood of being armed or mentally ill.
  8. Cecil: Critiqued media coverage of Breonna Taylor’s killing for patriarchal framing and victim-blaming that hinders addressing racist state violence.

RECOMMENDATIONS

– Policy Reform: Encourage reforms that address racial disparities in policing and disciplinary practices within schools.

– Evidence-Based Interventions: Implement and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing aggressive policing and improving community-police relations.

– Community Engagement: Foster partnerships between schools, communities, and law enforcement to create inclusive environments and reduce the school-to-prison pipeline.

– Restorative Justice: Promote restorative justice practices that emphasize empathy and community-based solutions over punitive measures.

CONCLUSION

This issue of Race and Justice highlights the critical intersections of race, policing, and protest in contemporary American society. The featured research provides empirical evidence of the legacies of racial violence and the disproportionate impact of aggressive policing on communities of color. It aims to inform policy debates, support activist strategies, and contribute to the broader efforts toward achieving racial equity and justice.

Historical and Contemporary Links

Lyons, Painter-Davis, and Medaris examine the connection between historical lynchings and contemporary police shootings, revealing persistent racial violence.

Intersectional Policing Experiences

Farrell’s research uses stop-and-frisk data to highlight that Black women face more invasive police actions compared to White women, showcasing the nuances in gendered experiences of policing.

School-to-Prison Pipeline

Iwama and colleagues present data-driven insights into the stark racial disparities in school disciplinary practices, contributing to the funneling of youth of color into the carceral system.

Procedural Injustice

Metcalfe and Baker’s findings suggest that experiences of procedural injustice, especially among Black individuals, undermine perceptions of the law's legitimacy and affect legal socialization.

Systemic Racism in Police Shootings

DeAngelis provides evidence that Black victims are disproportionately likely to be killed by police while being unarmed or not exhibiting signs of mental illness, pointing to systemic biases in law enforcement practices.