HELP! i need opinions!?

Question

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/dangeruslyshellah/additional%20pics2/math.jpg

click on that link, and what can one conclude from looking at the graph? its about the death penalty...im kinda getting confused on how to word my conclusion.

do you think that the system of justice is colorblind based on that graph?

Answer 1

The death penalty isn't colorblind.

Assuming that the graph is about people who faced the death penalty, it seems to indicate several things.

For cases where the victim was black, the overwhelming number of defendents who have faced execution are black, and very few are white.

For cases where the victim was white, a little more than half the defendents who faced execution are black, a little less than half are white.

The graph doesn't indicate that the death penalty isn't colorblind because it says nothing about the overall percentage of cases where the victim is white or is black or about the percentage of white or black defendents with white victims or black victims.

But the picture doesn't say anything about whether the defendents counted for this graph faced the death penalty.
All this gives is the percentages of defendents by race, in cases where the victim was white or if the victim was black. It seems to indicate that, whether the victim is black or white the defendent is more likely to be black.

What it doesn't show is the fact that if a murder victim was white the defendent is significantly more likely to face the death penalty than if the victim was not white, and that is really the most significant fact about race and executions.

Excerpt from the Death Penalty Information Center:
"Even though blacks and whites are murder victims in nearly equal numbers of crimes, 80% of people executed since the death penalty was reinstated have been executed for murders involving white victims."

A graph showing this would have two bars, one for white victims and one for black victims. It would be different from the one you had, with each of the bars having one section for defendents who faced the death penalty and the other for defendents who did not.

Answer 2

More black defendents are given the death penalty when the victim is black than if the victim was white.

More white defendents are given the death penalty if the victim is white.

Looks to me like it is all about color.

Answer 3

According to the graph, a black victim is more likely to choose and/or obtain a black defendent and white victims are unbiased on who defends them.