Racial Disparities in the Criminal Legal System: Shadows of Doubt and Beyond

Amanda Y. Agan

Journal of Economic Literature, 2024, vol. 62, issue 2, 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.

JEL-codes: D83 D91 J15 K14 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1257/jel.20221569

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