The American criminal justice system is usually referred to as an unfair one, in which prejudice and discrimination coexist together with racial differences. These problematic issues have been associated with factors such as racial profiling where people are discriminated against based on their race, sentencing disparities leading to stringent sentencing for minorities, over-policing in minority communities and systemic factors such as mandatory minimums (Kovera, 2019). The long-standing racial history of racism and institutional bias contributes to the disproportionate representation of African Americans and other minorities in the criminal justice system. These deeply rooted prejudices and systemic flaws reveal the necessity of systemic reforms and require a justice system that is equally fair to all people.

            Black Americans have always been a minority when it comes to the criminal justice system in America. Many historical issues such as slavery, segregation, and racially charged policies have created a pattern of institutional racism (Hinton et al., 2018). In African American communities, discriminatory law enforcers that over-police neighborhoods and racially profile residents cause higher percentages of arrests. After entering the system of courts, members of African Americans tend to be punished much more severely than their white counterparts for committing crimes that are no less serious than those committed by white Americans. The inequalities, made possible by socioeconomic discrimination, have led to African Americans being disproportionately represented in police stops, corrections and the justice system.

            The assimilation of Hispanics and Latin Americans into American society has progressed a long way, but issues that still remain are evident. Challenges include immigration issues where policies are not grounded on equal grounds, therefore, affecting these communities in such a negative way that it becomes uncertain and relatively challenging. Language differences as a communication barrier create problems for these individuals in interacting with the law, judicial and prosecution system, thus making access to justice almost impossible. Economic differences and cultural stigmas also play a part in this as negative biases stereotype how they are perceived, making them invisibly excluded from many aspects of human society (Spickard et al., 2022). Notwithstanding the attempts at encouraging inclusivity, latent prejudices that may have lingered on for a while influence their hesitancy in treating groups of Hispanic and Latino equitably. These barriers can only be overcome through continued campaigns, sensitization initiatives, and adaptive policies that will help create an environment free from the shackles of prejudicial cultures.

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