Are We Safe? Implicit Bias and the Criminal Justice System (Part II)
The unknown beliefs we carry about other people shape our view of the world. Implicit bias highlights challenges faced in black and brown communities. We all have unconscious beliefs, but when people of color struggle to get a job, a raise or promotion, buy a home, go to school, drive a car or walk down the street because of the color of our skin, it's a problem we cannot continue to ignore.
It's hard to change the system when those in power don't see anything wrong with the system. Black and brown people are not a threat and we are not dangerous. The reality is that the rates of white-on-white and Black-on-Black homicides are similar, within ten percentage points of each other. The rates of Black-on-white and white-on-Black homicides remain within eight percentage points of each other. However, police kill Black people at disproportionate rates and much higher rates than they kill their white counterparts. Black adults are 5.9 times as likely to be incarcerated than whites and Hispanics are 3.1 times as likely? This is a problem.
To my fellow elected officials, we all need accountability when it comes to implicit bias and our beliefs about groups who are different from us. No, we are not perfect, but we must be willing to see how our beliefs directly and indirectly affect the citizens we've been elected to serve.
To the citizens of Hamilton County, I am asking you to hold your elected officials accountable. Several elections are coming up in 2022. Criminal justice reform is needed now more than ever. You can do your part by electing representatives who you know and believe will serve the needs of all citizens in Hamilton County.
Make sure you are registered to vote. Get informed. Stay informed. There are several organizations in Hamilton County doing great work in the community. The Hamilton County Voters Coalition, The League of Women Voters, MOMs for Social Justice are just a few who are working to increase voter registration, eliminate voter suppression and improve the lives of all Hamilton County citizens. If you know of any others, please add them in the comments.
Get involved. We can do better and we can make a difference. Share your thoughts using this contact form.
