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People Arrested in London: An Examination of Ethnic Origin

NCJ Number
175854
Journal
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 183-191
Author(s)
G Robertson; R Pearson; R Gibb
Date Published
1998
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article describes the ethnic origins of persons detained in London during the period April to September 1993.
Abstract
Examination of ethnicity is extremely complicated and is an area of considerable sensitivity. In this study, black people were reported as being arrested approximately three times more frequently than would be predicted given their numbers in the community. Black juveniles made up 41 percent of the total juvenile population in the study. Black juveniles tended to be arrested in pairs or in larger groups far more often than their white counterparts. Detainees were not treated differently based on their ethnic appearance. When type of offense was taken into account, the percentages of black and white detainees proceeding into or being retained within the criminal justice system following initial arrest were almost identical. Among adult detainees, ethnic appearance played no part in the interaction between detainee and police. Tables, references