Summary

This lesson provided the foundation of race and crime.

First, we learned the difference between race and ethnicity.

Next we discussed the racial and ethnic disparities related to crime and victimization.

Here, we learned that while racial and ethnic minorities might be overrepresented in the index offenses, Whites remain the ones arrested for the most crime in the United States. Victimization data also showed disparities as to who gets victimized in America. The lesson also contextualized current racial disparities by noting the long history of races being differentially involved in criminal activity. All racial and ethnic groups have been considered "the crime problem." However, after a period of time, White ethnic groups have been able to fully assimilate and move away from being the problem. Some groups, such as Blacks, can never fully assimilate, and have remained "the crime problem." Today, scholars have sought to explain some of the prevailing racial disparities in crime and justice by drawing on criminological theory. In the next lesson, we review theories with religious and biological foundations.