asked 111k views
4 votes
Research found that Black boys as young as 10 are more likely to be mistaken as older, perceived as guilty, and face police violence if accused of a crime. Who conducted this research?

asked
User BillF
by
8.4k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The research regarding the biases faced by Black boys in the criminal justice system was conducted by Sommers and Ellsworth, with their influential study titled 'Race in the courtroom: Perceptions of guilt and dispositional attributions'. This study highlights societal and systemic issues leading to the misperception and harsher treatment of Black boys.

Step-by-step explanation:

Recent research has indicated that Black boys as young as 10 are often perceived to be older than they are, judged as more likely to be guilty, and subject to more police violence if they are accused of a crime. This research on racial bias and its effect on the treatment of African American boys in the criminal justice system can be traced back to a study conducted by Sommers and Ellsworth (2000), titled Race in the courtroom: Perceptions of guilt and dispositional attributions. This study, among others, demonstrates a troubling pattern where societal and systemic biases lead to harsher treatment and misperceptions of young Black individuals.

Furthermore, various pieces of research highlight how media portrayal and racial framing can exacerbate public perception, which may contribute to the stereotyping of Black males as inherently criminal or more prone to violence (Grogger and Ridgeway, 2006; Hodge et al., 2008). The continual exposure to such biased representations fosters an environment that is permissive of wrongful assumptions and, by extension, injustice towards young Black boys.

Welcome to Qamnty — a place to ask, share, and grow together. Join our community and get real answers from real people.