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Racist Framing in the Criminal Justice System

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Racist Framing in the Criminal Justice System RACIST FRAMING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: POWERFUL WHITE OFFICIALS A Dissertation by CANDICE LASHELL IDLEBIRD Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Joe Feagin Committee Members, Holly Foster William McIntosh Edward Murguia Head of Department, Denis O’Hearn December 2016 Major Subject: Sociology Copyright 2016 Candice LaShell Idlebird ABSTRACT In this qualitative study, I examine the criminal justice system, specifically powerful individuals’ (primarily high-ranking police officers, district attorneys [also referenced as prosecutors], and authoritative judges) mindset when interacting with people of color. I argue lumping people of color into “typical” categories — stereotyping, images, prejudice, and emotions — are compiling factors for consequences (unequitable discretionary decisions, criminalization, and mass incarceration) people of color encounter when interacting with powerful individuals in the criminal justice system. Therefore, I will demonstrate the mode of thinking by powerful criminal justice individuals in relation to people of color through relevant quotes. The quotes for this study were collected directly from interactions within court cases (court transcripts), exchanges of emails (primarily during business hours shared on company computers), and intimate interactions (everyday actions) provided by people in power. This study will analyze a vast majority of available public interactions with multiple powerful individuals within the criminal justice system. This research has found direct results of people of color being criminalized and facing inequality, discrimination, and racist interactions with powerful individuals’ in the criminal justice system. Primarily, patterns of systemic racism in conjunction with white racially framed mindsets of powerful individuals resulted in institutional and embedded practices of bias. The results of this study suggest integral to the existing body of knowledge now available, studying the criminal justice system from the ii bottom-up (how the actions of minorities contribute to the system) is the incorporation of the top- down (how the actions of the powerful contribute to the system) perspective. Ultimately, people of color are criminalized in multiple facets of the criminal justice system, influencing how they formulate appropriate counter narratives. Thus, the concluding chapter describes the creation of a resisting counter frame by people of color. These resistance forms include active individual aspects coupled with community action — National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and activists —and resistance to racism. Consequently, the cases of activism are connected to specific instances in relation to the quotes provided in this study. Demanding actions against powerful individuals’ abuses of power. iii DEDICATION To God, my husband (Chris), my children (Jylah, Jazlynn, and Jakobie), my mother (Mary), the memory of my grandfather (Lonzo) and the memory of the best grandmother in the entire world (Jeanette). Grandma I know you were up there in heaven cheering me on and making sure all of the obstacles moved out of my way! I never wanted to complete this without you watching me walk the stage and that was one of the hardest realities to live with. However, because you taught me so well about who GOD is I know you are here with me! To the memory of my father (David), my family, and all of the people that have played a major role in helping me to reach my goals. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Feagin, and my committee members, Dr. Foster, Dr. Mcintosh, and Dr. Murguia, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research. Thanks also go to my friends and colleagues and the department faculty and staff for making my time at Texas A&M University a great experience. I would also like to thank my sister Brittany for being a constant rock and in my corner through the hard times and the good times. I would not have made this journey without her by my side and at times being my shield. I thank you for taking trips to meet me halfway and relax and encourage me. I would like to acknowledge my husband Chris for helping me as I took this difficult steps through this journey. He was there to hold me and provide unconditional love and support. I thank him for giving me my son and assisting me in raising him at times more alone than as a couple while I worked hard to complete my dissertation. I thank you for coming with me and standing in the hallway to be the first face I see when I am crowned Doctor! Thank you Husband! I want to thank my daughters Jylah and Jazlynn for taking this educational journey with me. They have been with me from the beginning of my college journey from as far back as my undergraduate days. I thank you for wearing your caps and gowns as I walked the stage. I thank them for allowing me to move them around as I pursued my dreams and a better life for them. This degree is theirs as well. v I want to thank my son Jakobie for being born unto me as I have been along this journey. He is my little piece of my father and I thank him for being my angel in the flesh. Finally and last but not least I want to thank my mother, Mary, for always supporting me through this time. I want her to know I will never forget her help throughout this process. You have guided me from the start. I thank you for taking my kids for the summer and during extended breaks around Christmas etc. to allow me to work while you kept my kids safe. I thank you for holding me up and carrying me when my legs just didn’t seem to work. Time to reap the benefits! vi CONTRIBUTORS Work completed independently by the student Part 1, faculty committee recognition This work was supervised by a dissertation committee consisting of Professor Joe Feagin [advisor] and Professor Holly Foster of the Department of [Sociology] and Professor Edward Murguia of the Department of [Sociology] and Professor William McIntosh of the Department of [Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences]. FUNDING SOURCES Graduate study was supported by a fellowship from Texas A&M University and a dissertation research fellowship from Texas A & M University department of graduate studies. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ..................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM ......... 1 Significance of current research .......................................................................... 6 Introduction of research questions ...................................................................... 12 Outline of remaining chapters ............................................................................. 13 CHAPTER II THEORETICAL/FOUNDATIONAL ADDITION ....................... 15 Systemic racism addition .................................................................................... 17 White racial frame ............................................................................................... 22 Racial subframes ................................................................................................. 23 Pro- white frame .................................................................................................. 24 Anti- other frame ................................................................................................. 33 Conclusion and summary .................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY: INTRODUCTION ........................................ 46 Justification for using qualitative method ........................................................... 47 Methods commonly used .................................................................................... 48 Exploratory analysis approach ............................................................................ 51 Participants and sampling .................................................................................... 54 Weaknesses of my method .................................................................................. 57 Conclusion and summary .................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER IV INTRODUCTION: JUSTICE OFFICIALS’ POWER .................. 60 Great discretionary power ................................................................................... 60 Anti- other framing of Blacks ............................................................................. 68 viii Page Black criminality ................................................................................................. 72 Anti- other framing of Latinos ............................................................................ 77 Latinos as un- American ..................................................................................... 79 Latino criminality ...............................................................................................
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