By: Shayan Malik of East Windsor NJ
1st place in ICNA CSJ-NJ’s BHM Essay Contest 2025
Topic: The impact of systemic racism in law enforcement and the judicial system on society (Grades 9 & 10)
Imagine a world where you are punished more harshly than others who committed the same crime as you, solely because of your race. That world is a reality for many people in America, where systemic racism in law enforcement and the judicial branch have created racial disparities. Be it racial profiling or wrongful convictions, these minority communities, especially Black and Latino populations, face discrimination at every step because of their skin color. These inequalities are embedded in the entire system and are the result of practices and policies that have existed for centuries. Systemic racism in law enforcement and the judicial branch creates widespread injustice through the use of racial profiling, wrongful convictions, and a negligence of police responsibility, which in turn erodes trust in the government as a whole.
One of the most problematic issues is racial profiling. Racial profiling is when a police or law enforcement official suspects a person to have committed a crime solely due to their skin color. Racial profiling targets the Black and Latino communities, with the majority of traffic pull-overs involving an individual who is dark skinned. In New York City, the controversial stop-and-frisk policy disproportionately targets Black or Latinos, with 80% of incidents involving minority races in New York. This is not a reasonable cause to stop, investigate, or arrest a citizen. This is a major reason for the distrust in the Black and Latino community as they tend to be treated as criminals, despite them not committing any crime.
If that doesn’t raise alarms, the ongoing police brutality should. The famous George Floyd incident where an officer suspected that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd was compliant, but the police officer brutally murdered the 46 year old. This incident is just one of many recent interactions with the police that resulted in police brutality simply because of the victim’s race. Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by law enforcement than white Americans. The worst part? Law enforcement officers involved in these incidents often tend to face little to no consequences, enraging many citizens who wish to see these racist officers face severe punishments.
These racial disparities are also present in court, where sentences are higher for those with a darker complexion. Studies show that Black Americans receive sentences that are 20% longer than those of white Americans for the same crimes committed. Simply a byproduct of racism and the unjust system at play. Many Black people are also poor and can’t afford the bail set that many whites can. Some bails are set higher for Black or Latinos as compared to white Americans. The Innocence Project reports that over 60% of wrongful convictions consists of Black people, a race that is a minority in many areas where the Innocence Project operates in. These disparities show how systemic racism is deeply ingrained in the legal system.
In summation, systemic racism in law enforcement and the judicial branch unfairly targets minority communities through racial profiling, excessive sentencing, and lack of police accountability. These injustices weaken trust in the Government, as it is their duty to value all citizens fairly and justly, with no restrictions or racism involved. To combat these pressing issues, steps must be proactively taken, such as eliminating cash bail, including stricter police accountability measures, and ensuring equal sentences regardless of race. It is up to the citizens to push for change. By educating the citizens about this growing issue, this issue can finally be eradicated – once and for all.