-The perpetrator is almost always male. We use this statistic to justify gender profiling in crime fighting. It’s accepted as logical and reasonable. I agree.
-A disproportionate number of false-rape accusers are African-American women. Some notable examples are Crystal Magnum (Dupe Lacrosse) Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s accuser and Tawana Brawley. White women can and do make false rape accusations but not as often, it would seem.
A theory about why: our society encourages a sense of victimization among African-Americans. We are always willing to listen if you are a victim and especially if you belong to a classified historically oppressed group.
-Among politicians and elites, a disproportionate number of those who are indicted for various improprieties or crimes are African-American. Some recent examples include Jesse Jackson Jr., Kawame Kilpatrick, the Louisiana congressman Jefferson.
This one is a head scratch-er. It defies the usual narrative about poverty and the legacy of slavery.
My local papers censor out all mention of race/ethnicity from their police reports, I assume because nearly all the criminals are black or Hispanic and they don’t want to publically admit that.
Why do you assume that crime reporting is race/gender blind? Why do you assume that arrests and indictments are executed without regard for race/ethnicity?
The fact of the matter is, if you are white or well off or female (especially good looking and female), you can get away with crimes that someone lacking in one or more of those categories would get arrested for. You’re also a lot less likely to be arrested or convicted for crimes you didn’t do. A poor black man is basically considered a criminal just for existing.
An impression which was generated by “mental notes” is likely to be a poster child for confirmation bias, especially if you are working from what the news outlets consider to be important national news.
All of the indicted politicians I personally know are white, and “loitering with intent to be black” seems to be an actionable offense in too many parts of the US still.
It’s not homework, I just find that gender (and race) is the one area where it’s difficult to have an honest discussion. I appreciate a forum where it’s actually possible.
You and I probably have different theories of knowledge. Hard statistics are only one source of knowledge, and sometimes they are tainted by various factors (political correctness, for example.) In fact, I think maybe life experience is better way to understand the world.
