In the discussion of Racism and the Justice System, the Crook County courthouse, in Chicago, is notorious for its unruly treatment of felony defendants and its disproportionate incarceration of minorities. Out of the twenty-three thousand defendants a year, about sixty-nine percent of felony defendants were African American and about eighty-six percent were male. That’s about sixteen thousand African Americans per year compared to the three thousand whites per year. Based on this data alone, there is a clear indication of the disproportionate incarceration of African American males. The reason for this is the corruption of the judges, attorneys, and public defenders. Not only that but every single one of them is White; however, that is not even the worst part.

     The inheritance of racism has been institutionalized within this court. As our class discussed the racism in Crook County, we noticed that it is similar to  Anderson’s inheritance of the ghetto. That stereotypes of African Americans being destined for criminal behavior such as drug distribution, gang violence, and gun violence. Furthermore, there was an extensive discussion on the blatant segregation of two lines to get into the court. One line was for the mostly  otherminority defendants and their families and the other was for the attorneys and public defenders. Being that it was pouring raining during the time Ms.Silva was describing this event, the line with the minorities was moving extremely slow because of the guards who did not care for the well-being of these people. They were heard saying racist remarks to the defendents and treating them like they were in jail before they were put on trial. On the other hand, the line with the “professionals” was met with respect and efficiency. The guards barely checked the bags and pockets of the “professionals” as they greeted them with smiles and laughter. This visual segregation and overt discrimination is the foundation for the racist culture that is being fostered in the Crook County courthouse.

This idea of literal and symbolic separation in the courthouse is continued as you enter the court room where the defendants and their families are separated by a glass room that is used by the public defendants, attorneys, and judges. This room is considered the break room for the attorneys, judges, and public defenants. They play games, talk and laugh with each other within this room. Keep in mind that the entire court room is able to see through this glass, so when defendants see a judge, in the middle of a trial, take a break to laugh their collegues or play with their children it is very demeaning to the life that is being judged at that moment. There is a lack of regard for the lives of minorities because the judges and attorneys have a preconceived notion that all minorities are criminals. This notion creates a mentality that prejudges minorities to be guilty until proven innocent. And the more people the attorneys convict, the more money they make. This idea if time is money is applied to the court system in that its no longer about serving justice but about closing cases as fast as possible and collecting a paycheck. Even the public defenders, who are hired to help you, want to get the case done as soon as possible, so they offer a plea bargin instead of an actual trial. However, the public defenders are given so many cases a day that they are overwhelmed into giving a plea bargin instead of attempting to give a trial that benefits that defendants. In addition to this already corrupt system, is the racist culture that influences the decisions of the judges, attorneys, and public defenders and perpectuates this injust cycle of mass incarceration of minorities. That is why as a country we must attack the justice system in order to force a full reform of its laws and culture.