The numbers don’t speak for themselves: Racial disparities and the persistence of inequality in the criminal justice system
Open accessAbstract
Many scholars and activists assume the public would be motivated to fight inequality if only they knew the full extent of existing disparities. Ironically, exposure to extreme disparities can cause people to become more, not less, supportive of the very policies that create those disparities (Hetey & Eberhardt, 2014). Here, we focus on the criminal justice system—policing and incarceration in particular. We argue that bringing to mind racial disparities in this domain can trigger fear and stereotypic associations linking Blacks with crime. Therefore, rather than extending an invitation to reexamine the criminal justice system, the statistics about disparities may instead provide an opportunity to justify and rationalize the disparities found within that system. With the goals of spurring future research and mitigating this paradoxical and unintended effect, we propose three potential strategies for more effectively presenting information about racial disparities: (a) offer context, (b) challenge associations, and (c) highlight institutions.
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Statistics highlighting racial inequity may exacerbate negative stereotypes about race and criminality unless they are couched in context and the institutional policies and practices that drive racial inequity are fully explained and challenged.
“That is, such statistics may exacerbate negative stereotypes about race and criminality unless they are couched in context and the institutional policies and practices that drive racial inequity are fully explained and challenged (Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018).”
From A call to dismantle systemic racism in criminal legal systems. (2022) · cites this paper as Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018
Training that merely offers statistics highlighting racial inequity within criminal legal systems has the potential to backfire.
“It is also important to note that training that merely offers statistics highlighting racial inequity within criminal legal systems has the potential to back fi re.”
From A call to dismantle systemic racism in criminal legal systems. (2022) · cites this paper as Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018
Minimizing and countering cognitive bias is not easy or straightforward.
“Minimizing and countering cognitive bias is not easy or straightforward.”
From Biased and biasing: the hidden bias cascade and bias snowball effects (2025) · cites this paper as Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018
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Cites
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Precinct or prejudice? Understanding racial disparities in New York City’s stop-and-frisk policy
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Zestcott, C. A., Blair, I. V., & Stone, J. (2016) · Group Processes & Intergroup Relations · doi:10.1177/1368430216642029 · Cited by 381 · see citing works
“Worse, such information may only evoke pity, and for some consolidate a view of helplessness or a downtrodden stereotype [37].”
Anti-racist actions and accountability: not more empty promises
Boykin, C. M., Brown, N. D., Carter, J. T., Dukes, K., Green, D. J., Harrison, T., Hebl, M., McCleary-Gaddy, A., Membere, A., McJunkins, C. A., et al. (2020) · Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal · doi:10.1108/edi-06-2020-0158 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Biased and biasing: the hidden bias cascade and bias snowball effects
Dror, I. E. (2025) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs15040490 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
A call to dismantle systemic racism in criminal legal systems.
Najdowski, C. J., & Stevenson, M. C. (2022) · Law and Human Behavior · doi:10.1037/lhb0000510 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Cooper, M., Updegrove, A. H., Gabbidon, S. L., Higgins, G. E., & Potter, H. (2021) · Victims & Offenders · doi:10.1080/15564886.2020.1850579 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hetey, R. C., & Eberhardt, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Stanford University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hetey, Rebecca C.
- Venue
- Current Directions in Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-05-03
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 183-187
- ISSN
- 0963-7214 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8721
- OpenAlex
- W2800635800
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 4
- FWCI
- 42.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Current Directions in Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Keywords
- racial disparities, criminal justice system, public support for policing, incarceration, fear of crime, statistical communication, public attitudes toward inequality, racial bias in policing
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