The Criminalization and Dehumanization of Black Youth - Sociology Essay Example

Criminalization and dehumanization of the black youth is still experienced across America. Most of these black youths attend under-resourced learning institutions. Every year it is estimated that more than three million students are suspended from school for vague cases. They end up losing a lot of time that would have been used in school. Some of these cases are due to their routine adolescent behaviors that most of their white friends are not punished or disciplined for. Most of these learning institutions have lesser tolerance to these black youths such as school based arrest. It is due to this that most of them end up dropping out of school and in jail.

As an impact of these black youths being discontinued from schooling will only lead to most of them being jailed in the future for engaging anti-social behaviors to fend for their daily needs and those of their families (Jee-Lyn Garcia & Sharif, 2015). In a research carried out recently it shows that the differences experienced between black girls and white girls is more than those experienced between the black boys and white boys. Black youth are most likely to receive more corporal punishment. According to the Office of Civil Rights black girls are punished less than the black boys but compared to the white girls they are paddled twenty times more.

The young black people are often criminalized even outside their schools. This limits their lives as they are robbed off chances and opportunities in life. A study carried out in 2010 indicates that 17 percent represent the Black youth which in turn represent 31 percent of all arrests made. Among the youth cases represented to court the Black youths cases are more likely to be processed and the victim declared adjudicated delinquent while their white peers cases are rarely processed. The black youth are at times sent to the adult facilities. This robs off their dignity leading them into crime as their opportunities are gone due to the time lost behind bars in most of the cases experienced.

The U.S government has failed at curbing the gender-based violence that befalls the black girls. This is the highest form of criminalization they experience than their peers of the white race. Sexual abuse is the leading reason why many black girls end up in juvenile prison. In an instance that a black girls fall victim of sex trafficking they are often arrested and charged with prostitution (Jee-Lyn Garcia & Sharif, 2015). The system instead of helping them heal from the trauma, it goes ahead to victimize them further leading them to lifelong path of criminalization. This is due to the preset minds of the society which is based on a wrong notion.

In conclusion, there is need to come up with strategies that address the above-mentioned problems of black youth criminalization and dehumanization from the local communities. The racial differences in application of policies should be done away with. A grassroots movement led by youth and parents for color have begun the awareness across the country. A research done shows that children under 23 years of age lack a fully developed brain and the best way to deal with them is to come up with programs and invest in strengthening their families, provide education in well-equipped facilities, employment opportunities and increase stability (Jee-Lyn Garcia & Sharif, 2015). Prosecuting them is not only cruel but damages their reputation which makes it hard for them to get any opportunity.

Reference

Jee-Lyn Garcia, J., & Sharif, M. Z. (2015). Black lives matter: a commentary on racism and public health. American journal of public health, 105(8), e27-e30.