# I make mental note of race and gender in crime stories? Do you? What have you noticed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2013, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800 "2013-03-13T09:17:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JamesQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JamesQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesQueue)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/1 "2013-03-13T09:17:14Z")
Here’s what I have noticed: -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. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/2 "2013-03-13T11:45:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JLRogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@JLRogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JLRogers)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/3 "2013-03-13T11:51:21Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Here’s what I have noticed: > > -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. 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? > [@Neidhart](#): > > 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. Or maybe because it’s not relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/4 "2013-03-13T12:37:58Z")
> [@JLRogers](#): > > 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? I’ll add class in to that. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/5 "2013-03-13T12:43:56Z")
I’ve noticed the OP seems to be a one-trick-pony, trying to get the board to do his gender studies homework for him. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/6 "2013-03-13T13:01:29Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/7 "2013-03-13T15:01:33Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > 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. > > -. Huh? When is the last time you’ve heard of an obese black girl making headline news because she went missing in the Bahamas? Pretty white women though… ---
**Author:** ![JamesQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JamesQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesQueue)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/8 "2013-03-13T16:13:41Z")
🙂 > [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > I’ve noticed the OP seems to be a one-trick-pony, trying to get the board to do his gender studies homework for him. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/9 "2013-03-13T17:31:18Z")
Every time I see a person who wants to have an “honest” discussion about race, I figure I’m about to read something racist. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/10 "2013-03-13T17:40:09Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > I’ve noticed the OP seems to be a one-trick-pony, trying to get the board to do his gender studies homework for him. Yeah, but he’s getting super laid in that class. > [@Shakes](#): > > Huh? When is the last time you’ve heard of an obese black girl making headline news because she went missing in the Bahamas? _Precious 2_? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/11 "2013-03-13T18:39:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Every time I see a person who wants to have an “honest” discussion about race, I figure I’m about to read something racist. Yyyyyyyuuuuup. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/12 "2013-03-13T19:29:30Z")
When I read about flash mobs at a mall or downtown, I assume they African American males, even if the article states they’re “youths”. Conversely, when I read about flash mobs doing a performance or dance, I assume they are primarily white males and females. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/13 "2013-03-13T20:29:26Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Here’s what I have noticed: Without hard statistics from a reliable source to back them up, your observations worthless. However, they speak volumes about who you are and how you see the world. Is this really the person you want to be? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/14 "2013-03-13T20:52:03Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Huh? When is the last time you’ve heard of an obese black girl making headline news because she went missing in the Bahamas? > > Pretty white women though… Oh, so “pretty” and “obese” are antonyms? :mad::mad::mad::mad: And why a black “girl” but a white “woman”? :mad::mad::mad: ---
**Author:** ![JamesQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JamesQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesQueue)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/15 "2013-03-13T20:56:26Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Without hard statistics from a reliable source to back them up, your observations worthless. > > However, they speak volumes about who you are and how you see the world. > > Is this really the person you want to be? 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. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/16 "2013-03-13T21:01:27Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Here’s what I have noticed: > > -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. You clearly don’t pay attention to politics. Tom Delay Scooter Libby Jack Abramoff Duke Cunningham Ted Stevens Jim Traficant Ever hear of Watergate? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/17 "2013-03-13T21:14:21Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Yeah, but he’s getting super laid in that class. He s doing _what_ to ponies? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/18 "2013-03-13T21:17:44Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Here’s what I have noticed Maybe your memory is faulty. Or selective. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/19 "2013-03-13T21:20:10Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > 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. Well, _there’s_ your problem! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800/20 "2013-03-13T21:30:55Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > 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. I’ll give you this one. You definitely have a different theory about what knowledge is than most people do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-make-mental-note-of-race-and-gender-in-crime-stories-do-you-what-have-you-noticed/652800.md?page=2)