Race when defined as a social construct to describe people with shared physical characteristics can have tremendous social significance. This influence began prior to the creation of the prison system and expanded with a correctional philosophy aimed at rehabilitation. The cultural diversity within the white community primarily arises from the individuals' ethnic affiliation (e.g., Polish, Irish, Italian, etc. What about curlers and other accouterments associated with female behavior and dressshould facilities allow trans-women with male plumbing to have them also? If an inmate with a female gender identity is more comfortable being pat searched by a female officer, do we comply? A representative from either the County Department of Social Services, Mental Health, or Alcohol and Substance Abuse Programs, as appointed by County Board of Supervisors. The failure to use existing science in crime policy contributes to the continued use of expensive (incarceration) means to punish people. The current system does not incorporate existing science (evidence-based practices) about effective treatments or punishments that reduce recidivism. Despite the justice system's claim to treat everyone equally, the reality is that those without financial means -- who are twice as likely to be a minority according to an Economist report -- are at a disadvantage in the justice system. Correctional facilities have adopted the position that any sexual behavior in the facility is a rule violation. One can take many different stances when asked to determine the causes of criminal activity. This is significant to faith representatives who will need to be well-versed in a variety of faiths and cultural perspectives. So, we have a dilemma, prisons are very expensive and ineffective when so many offenders are returned to custody. These collateral consequences build on the premise that once a person is an offender, a person will always be an offender. Cultural diversity can be defined as the cultural differences that exist between people such as language traditions and the religious beliefs along with the way society carries itself. Now, a new study published Thursday in the journal Science, suggests that diversity in law enforcement can indeed lead to improvements in how police treat people of color. The more tough lessons early on, the fewer errors you make later. Female inmates tend to come from a lower socioeconomic status, have a lower education, possess limited skills, are single parents, and are predominately women of color. Twenty-nine percent report being physically abused as children, and 60% as adults, usually by their partners. This information was initially geared toward the therapeutic professional but can be easily adapted to fit the correctional professional. Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice The diversity issue focused on in this paper will be racial disparity in sentencing. In New York City, neighborhoods that are home to 18% of the citys adult population account for more than 50% of prison admissions each year. Following the course of action that would be . Yet, U.S. sentence lengths are virtually unmatched. Recidivism is the general concept that these references, but recidivism can consist of: arrest for a new crime, conviction for a new crime, reincarceration for a new crime, or various outcomes for violating the conditions of release (on probation or parole supervision). By comparing officers working in similar areas, researchers noticed a difference across demographics. In a study done in the Las Colinas Detention Facility in California, 37% of the Females interviewed indicated alcohol was their drug of choice, 21% said heroin, 24% crystal meth, and 18% cocaine. In 2020, we. length of stay in a treatment program. We work to remove systemic bias in several ways. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Is there an issue of intrusiveness when a male with a female gender identity is searched by only a male officer? Nor does it recognize that younger (18-28) and males are more likely to recidivate as are those who started their involvement in criminal behavior at an earlier age. Is there a need for a greater level of service and support for the sexual reassignment process than the jail now provides? 144 lessons. Judges need to use discretion in order to do their job, because the law cannot foresee every possibility. People from many different cultures with different values, faiths, and sets of beliefs call the US home. The objective is to equip police officers with cultural competencies. Legal. increased creativity, drive, and innovation expanding the organizational scope and improving the ability to captivate new customers. The film shows the history of racial bias and inequality in the country's criminal justice system and the countless injustices that have led to the . Another contributing factor to prison overcrowding is recidivism. Increased and irrelevant (not related to preventing or addressing criminal behavior) conditions mean more opportunities to fail probation and parole and exacerbate the problem. At the same time, no one thinks its a good idea to open the prison doors and let offenders free. Today retribution does not just pertain to an individual, but more often society as a whole. Because the populations of early colonies were so small and communities close knit, punishment for the violation of laws and social norms were handled swiftly. Culture is not a definable entity to which people belong or do not belong. Policing is the defense of communities, the duty of making . Figure 8.1 Eastern State Penitentiary. In 2020, we raised our concerns that removing the right to be referred to a restorative justice service from the Victims Code couldindirectly discriminate against Black, Asian and minority ethnicvictims. Procedures and policy in a pluralistic and multicultural society are examined relative to law enforcement, courts and corrections environments. Under the duty, public authorities must have due regard to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. A belief held by many, including by some who work in correctional facilities, is that inmates find religion for manipulative reasons. The cultural diversity training movement has arisen out of a growing sense of urgency regarding tensions in police-minority relations. Myths and Stereotypes of Inmates and the Prison System45, Think about it . For the last 20 years, the crime rate in the U.S. has been falling. This is most often used with juvenile offenders. Furthermore, cultural norms in legal matters differ. Diversity, and I am talking about cultural diversity, is a much more basic concept. Diversity is a Following the course of action that would be expected in one country can lead to being arrested in the United States. They must also respond to serious medical and mental health needs, as well as avoiding unconstitutional conditions of confinement. be asked to develop and implement programs designed to reduce racial, religious or cultural conflict. The Case Manager is to practice cultural competence with awareness and respect for diversity. So America sought to design a more unique penal system. Image is in the public domain. We recognize the importance of listening to and hearing various voices and viewpoints. Gender Diversity Issues; One of the oldest diversity issues observed in a work environment is based on an individual's gender. Police separate pro and anti police demonstrators during a protest on Aug. 15, 2020 in Chicago. Figure 8.3 Female inmates inside their maximum-security prison. Cultural diversity is a concept which represents the history, attitudes, behavior, language, values, beliefs and uniqueness which distinguishes each racial or sub-cultural group in a society. Over the course of 100 shifts, Black officers made, on average, about 16 fewer stops and two fewer arrests a 20% to 30% reduction compared to white officers in comparable scenarios. In this section we explore multiculturalism in treatment of offenders. Rather, it builds on the premise that real punishment emerges from incarceration. How does the program align with the mission and core values of the Bureau of Prisons? Regrouping from this 30-year emphasis on incarceration will require dealing with these myths and recognizing that the criminal justice system and society at-large can benefit from seeking community-based punishments that prevent and address societal problems. LGBT groups are pushing an agenda that could have a similar impact. Culture Diversity in Criminal Justice. States have developed juvenile diversion . Protective custody may be offered with a waiver option, which the majority of our homosexual and lesbian offenders prefer to do. receiving an accurate diagnosis. Crime policies and school, police, and juvenile court practices have led to a disproportionate focus onand more punitive responses tothe behavior of youth of color. In groups, discuss the following issues and prepare a report to present to the class: This page titled 8: Managing Culturally Diverse and Specific Populations in Correctional Settings is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Dave Wymore & Tabitha Raber. The CJA scrutinises criminal justice policies and practices for their discriminatory impact andcalls for changes to improve outcomes for individuals with protected characteristics. In recent times the religious institutions and legal services have assist inmates who try to practice their faith while incarcerated. With the increase of diversity in the country comes a . And, as a case study of Chicago, the paper is not automatically generalizable to the countrys more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies, especially suburban and rural ones. To that end, we need to undo our focus on incarceration by pursuing a range of punishments that address the underlying cause of criminal behavior. Next, they must cultivate the willingness and ability to acquire knowledge of their offender cultures. Maye, Russell and Balto said they hope for future research on other reform proposals that center on systemic change, such as initiatives to reduce the size and scope of police departments and reallocate those resources to create crisis intervention teams and other community-based programs. The Tackling Racial Inequality Project aims to reduce racial inequality in the criminal justice system. Open Document. Multiculturalism typically develops according to one of two . 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