Alexis Valeriano Senior Research Project:Internal Bias in the criminal justice system and how it negatively affects minorities, LGBTQ individuals and women.

Abstract

This study shall consist of a comprehensive research and analysis of the ways in which women and queer groups are particularly negatively affected and discriminated against in regards to the criminal justice system. This research shall examine the differences in the way discrimination is played out based on the queer people in question and how sexism differs from homophobia and transphobia. The study will be statistic based and the statistics that are displayed will depict the disparity between minority incarcerated individuals in comparison to non-minorities.

Oftentimes there is an extreme gap between incarcerated people that are people of color and white incarcerated individuals. In regards to sexual orientation and gender identity, oftentimes people who identify as LGBTQ+ can face difficulties within the criminal justice system of their own. Prison settings can be incredibly more dangerous for people who identify as gay or transgender due to homophobia and transphobia which is extremely prevalent in prison settings amongst other prisoners and even prison guards. And, sexual violence against transgender and gay inmates is even more prevalent than with straight cis-gender inmates.

This study will be dissecting the reasons that these injustices occur and the systems in place that allow these injustices to take place within the criminal justice system along with everything leading up to it.