Race and Crime?

Question

Can race be a valid predictor or criminality, when combined with other factors?

Answer 1

You need to look at cause and effect.

People look at statistics, but they're looking at them backwards.

Black people may commit more crimes, but that doesn't make a black person MORE LIKELY to commit a crime than a white person. The statistics are reactionary, and predicting anything based upon them is impossible.

True indicators of who is going to commit a crime are always 1)means, 2)motive, and 3)opportunity. Does race factor into that? No.

Now, is it true that black people are much more likely to be in a "bad spot", and that people in "bad spots" are more likely to commit crimes? Yes, that is true. However, it is NOT due to the race of the person, it is due to other factors, and these other factors happen to coincide with the racial demographics of this country.

If the racial situations were reversed, and the demographics were that more white people lived in poverty, and more black people lived in "better neighborhoods" and such, the racial trends would disappear, however the socioeconomic trends would continue.

Don't make a mistake, and let coincedental factors like race or age or whatever blind you to the fact that crimes are committed by people with the means, motive, and opportunity to commit them.

Answer 2

No, it's not a /valid/ predictor, though it might well be combined with other factors that /are/, and for which there is a correllation. For instance, poverty and drug use are valid predictors of criminal activities, and there are correllations between race and both of those.

Plus, the whole concept of 'predicting criminality' is a bit wrong-headed in a nation that subscribes to the presumption of innocence.

Answer 3

Haven't you seen trading places?

If whites were the minority, and blacks were the majority and controlled all of the power in the country, then you would see more whites committing crimes in order to survive in an unjust society.

This world is divided between the haves and the have nots. Those that do not have, will do what it takes to survive.

People do not commit crimes like selling drugs, robbery etc. because they enjoy it, instead they do it to survive.

Once an inmate is released from prison, they cannot get a job. The felony haunts them the rest of their life, so what else can they do? Society does not forgive them for trying to survive, so they only have one thing to do, and that is to try to survive as best they can, and this leads to committing more crimes.

That is what is wrong with our justice system, if someone pays a debt to society, they should not have to continue to pay the debt the rest of their lives. They should be given a second chance at life.

Answer 4

Income and the absence of parents are. If an area that is below income standard and has a high density of a particular race they become the most apparent. In most cases the family that tries to move from that area by working hard by either parents or single parents working multiple jobs also provides the lack of supervision to protect their children from influence of bad behavior. Another new one is the well to do with "wanna be" bad boys who are white and just want to be something they believe to be exciting. Sad but true.

Answer 5

Absolutely not.
You can make statstics say anything you want.
For example you can take and compare a population of 1000 white people 1/2 rich 25% middle class and 25% poor living in the ghetto, and compare them to 100 black people living in the ghetto.
While 25 out of the 25% living in the ghetto commit frequent acts of violence that is only 2.5% of that population that has a high tendency for acts of violence.
While 5 people of color out of the population living in the getto have a tendency to commit violent act makes a 5% tendency for them to do so, which is twice as high as whites.

see the way statistics and racial profiling works?

Answer 6

well... the statistics are very interesting on this issue...

black people have a much higher rate of getting arrested...

now... this could be due to several reasons...

one could be that the race has some sort of inherent "anti-social" behavior... but that would seem to be blatantly racist...

another reason could be racism among those applying the laws... police and the legal system... most people tend to believe this more...

and if you believed that, the answer would be no...

Answer 7

No it can not i used to race Stock cars but i did not commit crimes, so you see race has nothing to do with it.

Answer 8

Yes, but it doesn't HAVE to be combined. It does
a pretty good job by itself.

Answer 9

Statistically yes - legally no.