NCJ Number
167233
Journal
Crime & Delinquency Volume: 43 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1997) Pages: 358-380
Date Published
1997
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This essay deals with racial and ethnic factors in lawbreaking and the operation of the criminal justice system, particularly as they are being examined by social criminologists.
Abstract
The author points out that the study of race, ethnicity, and crime should not be confused with the study of cross-national crime patterns and that the comprehensive treatment of race, ethnicity, and crime involves three broad topics: (1) crime among racial and ethnic groups; (2) racial and ethnic factors in law enforcement, court, and correctional systems; and (3) racial- ethnic conflict crime. Several theories are described to explain crime among racial and ethnic groups, including Sutherland's theory and disorganization theory. The role of race and ethnicity as factors in gang delinquency is addressed, and ethnic and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is discussed. The author recommends that criminologists abandon broad crime theories and instead focus on middle range theories and conduct research on more circumscribed criminological topics. 62 references and 7 notes