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The Criminal Justice System and the Racialization of Perceptions

Author

Listed:
  • Aliya Saperstein
  • Andrew M. Penner
  • Jessica M. Kizer

Abstract

Recent research on how contact with the criminal justice system shapes racial perceptions in the United States has shown that incarceration increases the likelihood that people are racially classified by others as black, and decreases the likelihood that they are classified as white. We extend this work, using longitudinal data with information on whether respondents have been arrested, convicted, or incarcerated, and details about their most recent arrest. This allows us to ask whether any contact with the criminal justice system triggers racialization, or only certain types of contact. Additional racial categories allow us to explore the racialization of crime beyond the black-white divide. Results indicate even one arrest significantly increases the odds of subsequently being classified as black, and decreases the odds of being classified as white or Asian. This implies a broader impact of increased policing and mass incarceration on racialization and stereotyping, with consequences for social interactions, political attitudes, and research on inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Aliya Saperstein & Andrew M. Penner & Jessica M. Kizer, 2014. "The Criminal Justice System and the Racialization of Perceptions," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 651(1), pages 104-121, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:651:y:2014:i:1:p:104-121
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716213503097
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bruce Western & Christopher Wildeman, 2009. "The Black Family and Mass Incarceration," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 621(1), pages 221-242, January.
    2. Neil Gotanda, 2011. "The Racialization of Islam in American Law," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 637(1), pages 184-195, September.
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