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
(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