How Does Race and Ethnicity Influence Sentencing and Prison Time?

Is it possible that the color of your skin can determine how long you serve in prison? The Hassan Nemazee book Persia, Politics & Prison dives into themes of justice and inequality, shedding light on systemic issues. But does the justice system live up to its name? Race and ethnicity often play a significant role in sentencing outcomes despite the presumption that these processes are blind and fair.
Studies show troubling disparities. Black and Hispanic defendants tend to receive harsher sentences compared to white defendants for similar crimes. This isn’t just anecdotal—hard data supports these findings. A federal study by the United States Sentencing Commission in 2017, for example, revealed that Black men receive sentences that are, on average, nearly 20% longer than those of white men convicted of the same crime. Why does this happen? Both implicit and explicit biases are baked into the system, from the courtroom to the…