With the recent light sentencing of Brock Turner, the ex-Stanford student-athlete who sexually assaulted a woman behind a dumpster on campus last January, many have been using the terms "privilege" and "racial bias" to describe what may have been contributing factors to this inadequate sentencing. Unfortunately, racial bias is all too common when it comes to how criminals are treated. This is mostly apparent in cases where a criminal of color and low socioeconomic status receives a longer sentencing than a criminal of higher socioeconomic status for the same/or a similar crime. If you don't believe me that this actually happens, here are a few examples.
1. The OJ Simpson Case
Alright, now I know everyone here is going to say "But OJ was African-American, isn't this about racial bias?" OJ's case is very interesting because he used his race to his advantage, but none of this would have worked without his high socioeconomic status. OJ was proclaimed to not be not guilty, despite nearly all of the evidence pointing to him. His wealth allowed him to hire lawyers who were able to accuse the Los Angeles Police Department of evidence tampering and racism, ultimately convincing the jury that he was not guilty. Had OJ been a poor man, he would be in jail for life for this crime. (He's in prison now for armed robbery and kidnapping). When announcing The People v. OJ, the Los Angeles Times wrote, "OJ Simpson has purchased a Rolls-Royce defense team. Were he poor, Los Angeles County judges would grudgingly try to provide him with the legal equivalent of a broken-down Yugo from which they had siphoned the gas."
2. Misunderstanding of Rights
It's no secret that education is a huge problem in America, but it is even a larger problem for poor people. The American Bar Association estimates that 2-8 percent of people in prison are there because they pled guilty due to a misunderstanding of the legal system. If people could be educated correctly, then they can avoid this misunderstanding, but unfortunately, if you have less money, you are less likely to be able to afford formal education. Poor people have all of the odds stacked against them.
3. Poor people are more likely to stay in jail longer than rich people.
Safety and Justice Challenge found through field research that people who had remained in jail since their arrest (could not get out on bail) were four times more likely to receive a prison sentence. The only people who are able to get out on bail are those who can afford it – typically not people from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.
Overall, the sentencing of Turner is beyond unfair. The letter his mom wrote cited that he was not from a privileged background and that he was a determined kid, but what he did before the crime means absolutely nothing. He changed the life of a woman who now feels unsafe everywhere she goes. Brock should be serving at least two years, but now from the looks of it, he will be serving only three months in a county jail. He distributed photos of this woman, attacked her behind a dumpster and engaged in underage drinking and illegal drug use, yet will only serve three months in a county prison while someone who was selling drugs just to make ends meet is serving a much longer sentence. Poor people are unfairly treated in so many ways, even by a system that is supposed to help them. Turner's family was kind enough to take on more debt to defend their son, but for many convicted criminals, this is not an option. This young woman deserves justice for the crimes committed against her by Turner and Santa Clara County. If you don't yet think so, maybe you should read her letter.
Nobody should have an easier or harder trial because of their financial situation. America has the highest rate of incarcerated people for nonviolent offenses, yet a man who violently assaulted a woman has only received six months in a county complex. The playing field needs to be leveled – no special or harsher treatment for anyone. There should be justice for the victims and equality for the criminals. Our judicial system needs so much reform, and this reform could begin with the right to a fair trial, regardless of socioeconomic status.
