Part 1 ( Jeffrey: The Poor Get Prison) Flashcards
(28 cards)
How does social class affect treatment in the criminal justice system?
Poor people are more likely to be arrested, charged, convicted, and receive longer sentences than the wealthy, even for the same crimes.
What is white-collar crime?
Non-violent crimes committed by individuals in high-status positions, including fraud, embezzlement, tax violations, and money laundering.
What stereotype influences perceptions of crime?
The belief that dangerous crimes are mainly committed by the poor, shaping who is seen as a threat.
What does Reiman mean by ‘The criminal justice system is a carnival mirror’?
It distorts reality by exaggerating the crimes of the poor and minimizing the crimes of the rich.
How does media influence public perception of crime?
It often depicts poor and Black individuals as criminals, reinforcing stereotypes and shaping biased views.
What is the UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting) program?
FBI-run program collecting data on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies.
What is the NCVS (National Crime Victimization Survey)?
A national survey collecting data on crime experiences from U.S. households, including unreported crimes.
What are some key differences in how races are treated in the justice system?
Black people are more likely to be stopped, searched, charged, convicted, and receive harsher sentences compared to whites for the same crimes.
What is the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act known for?
Establishing sentencing disparities: 5 grams of crack = 5-year sentence; 500 grams of powder cocaine = 5-year sentence.
What role does bail and legal counsel play in justice disparities?
The poor often can’t afford bail or quality legal counsel, leading to worse outcomes.
What is embezzlement?
A white-collar crime where a trusted individual illegally takes funds from their employer or organization.
What does ‘impunity’ mean in the context of justice?
Exemption from punishment — often applied to the rich who commit crimes but avoid prison.
What’s the difference between blue-collar and white-collar crime?
Blue-collar crimes are often small-scale and for immediate benefit; white-collar crimes are financial, large-scale, and committed by the powerful — yet less punished.
What does Reiman argue about guilt and punishment?
The issue isn’t guilt, but unequal punishment — the guilty poor are punished, while the guilty rich often are not.
What is the racial disparity in drug use vs arrest?
White people use drugs more, but Black people are stopped and arrested at much higher rates.
What are ‘different belts’ in justice Reiman refers to?
A metaphor: one system for the rich, one for the poor — with the poor more likely to end up imprisoned.
What does Reiman mean by ‘the guilty don’t end up behind bars, but the guilty poor’?
It’s not that the rich are innocent — it’s that the poor face harsher consequences for the same crimes due to systemic inequality.
What does Reiman say about the administrative process in the justice system?
The system favors those with economic comfort, making the poor more likely to be arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for the same offenses.
How are laws written and implemented, according to Reiman?
They are primarily designed to address crimes associated with lower economic classes, ignoring or excusing upper-class offenses.
What is ‘weeding out the wealthy’?
The idea that the criminal justice system systematically targets and punishes the poor while allowing the wealthy to avoid consequences.
How is intersectionality (class, race, gender) tied to incarceration rates?
Poor Black and Hispanic communities, especially men, are disproportionately targeted and incarcerated at every stage of the system.
What does the data show about drug use and stop/search rates by race?
Whites use more drugs overall, but Black people are stopped and searched far more often — 45/1000 vs. 7/1000 for whites.
What is the difference in how Black and white people are treated after being caught with drugs?
Black people are more likely to be charged (78%) while whites are more likely to be cautioned (56%).
What crimes tend to get the harshest sentences?
Drug offenses, weapons charges, and immigration violations tend to get the most prison time.
