Unequal JusticeRace, Class and the Criminal

Justice System

Tim ReadyDirector

Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations

Western Michigan UniversityApril 28, 2015

www.wmich.edu/walkerinstitute

America’s Incarceration Rate Is the Highest in the World

Source: The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences. Travis J. and B. Western, eds.Washington: National Academies Press, 2014

The Number of Persons Under the Control ofThe Criminal Justice System Has Increased Enormously, Beginning In the Early 1970s

Source: The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences. Travis J. and B. Western, eds. Washington: National Academies Press, 2014

Lifetime Risk of Imprisonment Is Highly Racialized:

White Men 1 in 17

Latino Men 1 in 6

Black Men 1 in 3

Source: Bonczar, T., 2003. Accessed from The Sentencing Project: http://www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=122

Source: The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences. Travis J. and B. Western, eds. Washington: National Academies Press, 2014

Kalamazoo... …We Have a Problem

Arrest Rates by Race in Kalamazoo County, 2013

Black-White Ratio 5.8 to 1

black white0

20406080

100120140160

144

25

Arrest Rate per 1,000 Adults, Age 18 and Older, 2013

Arrest Rate per 1,000 Juveniles, 2012Kalamazoo and Statewide

All Black White0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

25

73

1417

39

13

KalamazooStatewilde

Source: Michigan Committee on Juvenile JusticeMichigancommitteeonjuvenilejustice.com

A Look at Risk of Involvement in the Criminal Justice System through the Lens of Primary Prevention

The Role of Poverty And Inequality of Opportunity

Kalamazoo’s child poverty rate is higher than all but 10% of U.S. cities of at least 65,000 people.

Walker Institute tabulation based on American Community Survey data for cities of at least 65,000 people, 2010-12

Child Poverty Rate in City of Kalamazoo,

by Race and Ethnicity, 2010-2012

hispanic white black other total0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

57%

28%

63%

37%

44%

*Source: American Community Survey, 2010-12

Does Poverty Really Matter?…Yes, It Does.

Greg Duncan, Stanford UniversityPathways, winter, 2011

Kalamazoo County has a higher rate of confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect than all other urban counties in Michigan.

Confirmed Cases* of Abuse and/or Neglect, Ages 0 to 8, for Michigan Urban Counties,

2013

Kalamazo

o

Ingham

Calhoun

Genesee

Kent

Mich

igan

Sagin

awW

ayne

Wash

tenaw

Mac

omb

Oaklan

d05

1015202530354045 42

35

29 2823 21 19

16 1411 9

Source: Child Protective Services, Michigan Dept. of Human Services, as reported by Michigan League for Public Policy* Rate per 1,000

Unequal Opportunity Related to

Poverty and Race Decreases Chances for

Success in School, and

Increases Risk of Involvement

in the Criminal Justice System

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-1430%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

47%42%

39%

47%

35%

78% 81% 79%

88%81%

52% 50% 49%54%

48%

78% 77% 76%80%

76%

Third Graders in Kalamazoo and Statewide who Are Proficient in Reading by Economic Status,*

2010 to 2014

Kalamazoo Disadvantaged Kalamazoo Not DisadvantagedState Disadvantaged Linear (State Disadvantaged)

In 2013-14, 74% of KPS third graders * were economically disadvantaged, compared to 51% statewide.

Walker Institute tabulation based on data from : Michigan Department of Education https://mischooldata.org

Percent of 9th Grade Cohort for Kalamazoo Public School’s Graduating Class of 2007 that Attained a Post-Secondary Degree

within Six Years, by Race, Ethnicity

Black White Other Total0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

11%

37%

18%

23%

6%

33%

15%18%

Blue = Any CredentialOrange = Bachelor’s Degree

Walker Institute tabulation based on data from theKalamazoo Promise and Michigan Department of Educationhttps://mischooldata.org

A Look at Risk of Involvement in the Criminal Justice System through the Lens of Secondary Prevention

Black to White Ratio of Involvement at Different Stages of Juvenile Justice System, 2012

Black to White Ratio• Arrests 5.1• Refer to Juvenile Court 1.1• Cases Diverted .88• Cases Involving Secure Detention 1.35• Cases Petitioned 1.21• Cases resulting in Delinquent Findings 0.96• Cases resulting in Probation .79• Cases Resulting in Confinement 1.05Source: Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice

Arrested Black youth are less likely to have their cases diverted or to receive probation.

Arrested Black youth are more likely to have charges filed against themand be detained in a secure facility.

Crime Has Decreased a Lot in Kalamazoo, but Criminal Cases Have Decreased Only a Little

Violent Crime Rate per 100,000 in City of Kalamazoo : 1985 - 2012

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20120

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1,689

2,451

1,647

1,054

808964

878

Source: Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, as provided by Kalamazoo DepartmentOf Public Safety

Property Crime Rate per 100,000 in City of Kalamazoo: 1985 - 2012

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20120

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

9,564

7,9627,240

6,7006,138

4,7624,171

Source: Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, as provided by Kalamazoo DepartmentOf Public Safety

Criminal Caseload of Kalamazoo Courts,

2003 to 2013

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

10,225.00

11,277.00 11,158.0010,476.00

9,399.00

9,221.00

9,743.009,909.00

8,937.00

9,719.00

9,400.00

Source: Annual Report, Kalamazoo County Courts, 2013

Unequal Justice:Race, Class and the Criminal Justice System

March 30 7pm James Forman, Jr. From Fear and Vengeance to Mercy and Forgiveness, Fetzer CenterApril 14 7pm Juvenile Justice: Disrupting the Pipeline to Prison Kalamazoo Juvenile HomeApril 28 7pm Challenges Facing Ex-Offenders, Bethany Reformed Church May 12 7pm Re-Imagining Kalamazoo with Justice for All Mt. Zion Baptist Church

For More Information: www.wmich.edu/walkerinstitute

April 30 7pm Richard Reeves, The Opportunity EcosystemMr. Reeves will explore the following questions

• Are we providing an equal chance for success for all our children?• What makes some communities more successful than others at promoting social mobility?• What more can Kalamazoo do to make equal opportunity for all a reality?

This is the Inaugural Event of Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo, a new initiative launched by the Kalamazoo City Commission to promote:

• Increased access to well-paying jobs For More Information:• Strong, economically secure families www.kalamazoocity.org

• Healthy growth, development and learning of all our kids