Photographs courtesy of ColorLines.
A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found that African Americans and whites have starkly different ideas about the Trayvon Martin shooting. According to the poll, 80 percent of blacks believe the teenager’s death was unjustified whereas 38 percent of whites believe the same.
“The findings reflect a basic difference of opinion: African Americans overwhelmingly see the criminal justice system as stacked against blacks and other minorities, but whites are far more divided on the matter,” according to Washington Post writers Krissah Thompson and Jon Cohen.
In fact, 84 percent of blacks believe minorities receive unequal treatment under the criminal justice system. In comparison, nearly half of whites believe the same.
Sadly, these findings don’t come as a surprise — especially since nearly half of life sentences are awarded to African Americans. Do you think minorities and whites are treated equally under the American criminal justice system? Let us know in comments.
By Samantha Miller
Samantha brings a unique background in journalism and social media outreach to the McKinney & Associates team. Over the past several years, she’s written about everything from celebrity event planning and sustainable fashion trends to racial tensions and the growing prevalence of cyberbullying. As the PR/Digital Media Assistant, she generates brand awareness through social media platforms, contributes to McKinney & Associate’s Voice Matters Blog, and helps develop marketing initiatives.
