Analysis Of Black And White Offenders By Dr. Darrell Steffensmeier
Introduction In the article “Black Judges are Tougher on Black and White Offenders”, Dr. Darrell Steffensmeier did exclusive research on prison sentencing and treatment given to both black and white offenders by black and white judges. Steffensmeier provides details that support his finding of how black judges and white judges sentence their defendants differently. Through his study at Penn State University, Steffensmeier gives information that describes the harsher treatment that black defendants may face more than white defendants when it comes to having black judges instead of white judges. In the end, Steffensmeier gives a synopsis of how black judges' emotional state can be an issue while sentencing their defendants and whether the race factor matters in the justice system and the courtroom.
Claim
One of the claims that Steffensmeier makes in the article is how black judge’s sentences black defendants just as much or more harshly
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Black judges as tokens may feel that they are always under scrutiny (p. 297).
Counterclaim
However, a writer from USA Today named Andrew Wolfson disagrees with Steffensmeier. Wolfson disagrees with Steffensmeier about the issue of race playing a role in the courtroom. When it comes to actions being made by African American judges in the courtroom, Wolfson article suggests that a judge’s emotions whether he is black or not do not have to affect their verdicts and sentencing. Wolfson provides research stating that the relationship between an African American judge’s race and decision making is not always plausible when it is based on his own merit.
“We must stand against it in whatever form. As a judge, I do my work without regard to race. It is incumbent on me to confront and dispose of language based on racism and stereotypes."
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