Taking Steps to Address Racial Disparities in Sentencing

Abstract

Racial disparities exist in many corners of our nation, but none so omnipresent as in the criminal justice system. If we are to truly dismantle racial disparities in the criminal justice system, we need to understand how they are produced at three levels—the state (macro), court community (meso), and individual (micro) levels—and develop strategies accordingly. This article demonstrates how racial disparities in sentencing are produced and could potentially be addressed at all three levels.