Overrepresentation of minorities in Texas and Arizona
When performing their duties of protecting and defending the citizens of their communities, the police are expected to adhere to standards of equal protection, the rule of law, and due process, an expectation that should not vary according to a citizen’s color or place of residence. However, this is not always the case. Police use of violence when dealing with minorities in America has reinforced the idea that police are discriminatory in their deployment practices and use of force. Without question, race is a major factor in the administration of justice in America. Minorities, especially those of black racial identity, are disproportionately represented among persons being processed through the criminal justice system. In most regions of the country, blacks overwhelmingly constitute the population in secure correctional settings (Markowitz & Jones-Brown, 2000).
An overrepresentation of minorities in America’s poor, urban communities has been shown to contribute to disproportionately higher arrest rates for blacks in these areas (Markowitz & Jones-Brown, 2000).The states of Texas and Arizona both have cases of overrepresentation of minorities wherein the ethnic minorities have started to outnumber the so called majorities. For Texas and Arizona the Mexicans who are supposed to be the minorities are increasing in number outnumbering the majority white Americans. The Hispanics in both the state of Arizona contribute to the notions that just like Texas; Arizona will be a Minority- Majority state.
National trends pertaining to overrepresentation of minorities
The major immigrant countries in the West the United States, Australia, Canada pride themselves on their historical record in integrating immigrants. These countries now have over 150 years of experience with large-scale immigration, and have managed to integrate large numbers of immigrants from all over the world without any serious threat to unity, stability, or prosperity (Kymlicka, 2001). The immigrants have integrated into the existing political system, just as they have integrated economically and socially, and have contributed enormously to the economic, political, and cultural life of the larger society. This must be seen as an impressive achievement. Many people worry that this historic pattern of successful integration is in jeopardy (Kymlicka, 2001).
This is sometimes blamed on the immigrants themselves, who are said to be less able or willing to integrate than earlier waves of immigrants. But more often it is blamed, not on the immigrants themselves, but on changes in government policies towards immigrants. On this view, while multiculturalism policies may have noble and sincere intentions to create a more inclusive and just society they have had dire consequences in practice, encouraging ethnic separatism (Kymlicka, 2001). The major national trend in overrepresentation of minorities includes the surge in the number of immigrant and minorities. The minorities are slowly outnumbering the Major ethnic groups. This can be a big problem for the nation and its citizens for more years to come. More minorities means that the Nation is starting to slowly lose its power to run itself.
States that stand out
In areas such as Maine, Montana, West Virginia and Rhode Island, minority births were low. This means that these areas have lesser number of minorities and it does not necessarily provide immigration attraction. These areas may not have the feature, sights, opportunities or laws that attracts immigrants and other minorities. These areas do not offer geographical strategic locations that minorities can use to stay as they go to their different places of occupation. Moreover these areas may have features that give some hard time to the minorities.
What should be done to reduce Texas Overrepresentation?
Texas overrepresentation of minorities has created a concern not only from the government but from the citizens of the state. The overrepresentation of minorities creates problems on how to deal with increasing minorities. Overrepresentation in Texas and other states can be reduced through stricter immigration policies. The local and national government can create additional policies that will prevent additional immigrants to stay in Texas. These policies can be higher taxes for immigrants, limiting entry of immigrant entry and others. The local and national government can also impose more guards to the state boarders so that illegal immigrants will be persuaded to jump into the state of Texas. The governments should use various techniques to enrich the features of states that have low minorities, this would change the immigrant’s focus and desire on what state to migrate to.
References
Kymlicka, W. (2001). Politics in the vernacular:
nationalism, multiculturalism, and citizenship.
Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Markowitz, M.W. & Jones-Brown, D.D. (eds.) (2000). The
system in black and white: Exploring the connections
between race, crime, and justice. Westport, CT:
Praeger Publishers.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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