TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE PRISON NOW

BEING USED INCREASINGLY AS A

METHOD OF DEALING WITH

RACIAL/RELIGIOUS MINORITIES”?

By Kay White

CHARLES MURRAY’S CUSTODIAL STATE The Bell Curve (1994) Made links between intelligence and

race Developed a stratification of intelligence

and race Eugenics Underclass of Minorities

ETHNIC MINORITIES The proportion of black people in jail in the UK was almost

seven times their share of the population (15% vs. 2.2%), whereas in the US the proportion of black prisoners is four times greater than their population share (45% vs. 12%).

Black people are 8x more likely to be stopped and searched than whites and 4x more likely to be arrested

In England and Wales, there are 5x more blacks than whites in prison per head of population

1 in 4 people in prison is from an ethnic minority background

¼ of prisoners serving sentences for drug offences are black

Possible reasons.. Black children are 3x more likely to be permanently excluded from school...link to poverty...under represented in the penal system (2004 9 black circuit judges in England and Wales)

ETHNIC MINORITY WOMEN 1 in 3 female prisoners is an ethnic minority “more likely to feel isolated in custody, less likely

to seek help and face additional language and cultural barriers”

19% of female prisoners were foreign nationals in 2009

26% of ethnic minority women reported victimisation by prison staff compared to 15% white women

More likely to be remanded in custody than whites Ethnic minority women make up 1% of judges and

5% of the population Only one ethnic minority High Court judge

RELIGIOUS GROUPS Muslims make up 12% of the prison

population in England and Wales but only about 2% of the general population

Increasing reports of Muslim gangs in prisons

GROWING FEARS OVER MUSLIM PRISON GANGS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaSjMywO3-M&feature=related

Not all religious groups needs are catered for in prison

CONCLUSIONS Ethnic minorities are way over-represented

in prison. This could be linked to factors such as

poverty, unemployment, low pay etc BUT... There does seem to be evidence of

discrimination in the legal system towards ethnic minorities

The so-called muslim ‘gangs’ in prison are a problem but one which has been galvanised by the press and parties like the BNP. White ‘gangs’ are a problem also.

LINKS GROWING FEARS OVER MUSLIM PRISON

GANGS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaSjMywO3-M&feature=related

http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/documents/Realising%20Rights%20-%20Increasing%20ethnic%20minority%20women's%20access%20to%20justice%20-%20web%20version.pdf

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/11/black-prison-population-increase-england

Equality and Human Rights Commission report How Fair is Britain? http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/key-projects/triennial-review/online-summary/legal-and-physical-security/

http://www.irr.org.uk/cjs/