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Race and the Criminal Justice System

NCJ Number
161285
Date Published
1996
Length
38 pages
Annotation
This report indicates that Great Britain is committed to eliminating racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and contains statistical information on ethnic minorities.
Abstract
This commitment is reflected in a series of recommendations on the link between cautioning and ethnic origin, the influence of race on bail decisions, the significance of ethnic background in sentencing decisions, ethnic minority perceptions of the criminal justice system, and victim support. Other recommendations are offered that concern ethnic monitoring, court staff training, witness support service volunteer training, judicial training, and racial attacks and harassment. The report also contains recommendations on the elimination of race in the criminal justice system by police and probation services, courts, the Crown Prosecution Service, and prisons. Statistical data are appended on the number of reported racial incidents and on the ethnic origin of male and female prisoners. In addition, appendixes provide supplemental information on racial attacks and harassment and sentencing for racially motivated offenses. 6 tables