Executive Summary
The United States has systemic racism problems that need correcting. Systemic racism is found in laws where application of such is racist. This article examples a few US laws and applied justice effecting primarily people of black or brown skin. USA laws are racist from the foundation. From 1776 to 1865, Africans and African descendants were considered chattel. The 13th Amendment ratified by Congress in December 1865 was thought to end slavery. However, it allows for the enslavement of convicts thus continuing slavery beyond its alleged end. Today’s for-profit prison system continues this practice. According to the Sentencing Project, adding a profit incentive to mass incarceration deflects the justice system from public safety to corporate gain in a similar fashion as convict leasing. Governmental laws and campaign promise targeted this racial class thus keeping them enslaved. Both President Nixon and President Regan created hate campaigns declaring war on drugs thus providing over $1.7 billion focused on urban cities while also creating mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. The mandatory sentences were longer for crimes involving crack cocaine than on crimes involving powder cocaine. Two policies continue to violate 4th Amendment rights of this class: No-Knock Warrants and Stop and Frisk techniques. Both techniques are utilized primarily on this demographic. Additionally, the Stand-Your-Ground (SYG) law condones openly racial acts. The overall rate of justified homicide rulings is 33% higher when the shooter is white, and the victim is black. Racial profiling paints the color of crime in Society’s mind allowing for acceptance and excuses the use of force, deadly shootings, and police brutality on this demographic. Nine out of ten deadly force cases where police have killed or injured a member of this race were ruled as justifiable. This flawed system needs to be corrected.