Disparity vs. Discrimination: the Influence of Race in Police Arrest

Disparity vs. Discrimination: the Influence of Race in Police Arrest

  This paper explored two major theories used to explain racial disparity in police arrests. After comparing some research findings concerning racial disparity/discrimination in police arrests it seems that although there are some studies supporting police discrimination, the findings are more in favor of the consensus theory. More studies and evidence show that the racial disproportionality in arrests is the result of police disparity in arrest and differential involvement of African American people instead of police discrimination. Legal factors seem to play more important roles than extralegal factors in police arrests.