Human Rights Experts From The‎ United Nations Condemn “Systemic Racism”‎ In American Courts And Police.‎

UN Human Rights study‎ slammed “systemic racism” in the‎ US enforcement and judicial systems:

After an official visit to‎ the nation, the research found‎ that Black people are three‎ times more likely to be‎ murdered by police and 4.5‎ times more likely to be‎ imprisoned.

Dr. Tracie Keesee, a‎ task force member, called the‎ lack of justice and recompense‎ for victims “heart-breaking” and “unacceptable.”‎ All parties, including police agencies‎ and unions, must join to‎ combat impunity, she said.

The‎ experts heard from 133 impacted‎ people, examined five detention sites,‎ and spoke with civil society,‎ government, and police in major‎ American cities. They attributed U.S.‎ racism to “a legacy of‎ slavery, the slave trade, and‎ 100 years of legalized apartheid‎ that followed slavery’s abolition.” Racial‎ profiling, police shootings, and other‎ human rights crimes reflect this‎ attitude.

The experts severely condemned‎ the disturbing overrepresentation of African‎ Americans in the U.S. criminal‎ justice system. They raised the‎ alarm about horrifying occurrences, including‎ young children being sentenced to‎ life, pregnant women being chained‎ during delivery, and people being‎ held in isolation for up‎ to a decade.

Over 1,000‎ police murders occur yearly, yet‎ just 1% result in prosecution,‎ according to the research. Instead‎ of a few “bad apples,”‎ the experts pointed to a‎ pattern of police officer abuse‎ that they feel is a‎ societal problem. Professor Juan Méndez,‎ a Mechanism expert, stressed the‎ necessity for thorough police and‎ judicial system reform to confront‎ current attitudes and biases.

The‎ research also recommended that armed‎ police officers not be the‎ primary responders to all social‎ concerns, including mental health crises‎ and homelessness. The experts stressed‎ the need to address police‎ department structural racism and officer‎ workloads.

The study included 30‎ suggestions for the US and‎ its law enforcement agencies, including‎ over 18,000. It also emphasized‎ local and federal best practices.‎ The experts hoped to replicate‎ these outstanding practices countrywide and‎ pledged to work with the‎ US to execute the suggestions.‎

The Mechanism’s three Human Rights‎ Council-appointed experts are Justice Yvonne‎ Mokgoro (Chair), Dr. Keesee, and‎ Prof. Méndez. It is vital‎ to stress that these experts‎ are not UN employees or‎ paid.

US Black Communities And‎ Persistent Racism:

The latest UN‎ report on racism in the‎ US has highlighted the problem‎ again. Black Americans are three‎ times more likely to be‎ victims of police brutality and‎ 4.5 times more likely to‎ be imprisoned than White Americans.‎ Dr. Tracie Keesee, a task‎ force specialist, said the victims’‎ lack of justice and restitution‎ is heartbreaking and inexcusable. The‎ history of slavery, the slave‎ trade, and a century of‎ legalized apartheid perpetuates racial profiling,‎ police brutality, and other human‎ rights abuses that disproportionately harm‎ Black people.

US Criminal Justice‎ System Injustices Against African Americans:‎

UN specialists revealed an alarming‎ overrepresentation of African Americans in‎ the US criminal justice system.‎ African diaspora toddlers being sentenced‎ to life, pregnant women being‎ shackled after delivery, and people‎ being held in solitary confinement‎ are horrific. The survey also‎ showed that just 1% of‎ the more than 1,000 police‎ murders recorded yearly get prosecuted.‎ The idea of a few‎ “bad apples” in the police‎ force has been strongly refuted,‎ with experts emphasizing the need‎ for comprehensive law enforcement and‎ justice system reforms to address‎ a deeper, more pervasive pattern‎ of abuse.

Read Also: GM Lawsuit Revives Racism Allegations:‎ A Persistent Battle For Workplace‎ Equity

Essential To Reform‎ And Rethink Racial Equality Policing:‎

The UN report emphasizes the‎ need for fast and substantial‎ US law enforcement changes. It‎ has highlighted the need for‎ alternate policing approaches, especially in‎ mental health crises and homelessness,‎ and that armed police officers‎ should not always be the‎ first responders. Work overload and‎ systematic racism in police units‎ are significant issues that need‎ immediate attention. In addition, the‎ research warns that police brutality‎ and lack of accountability would‎ continue without international norms in‎ force laws. The study promotes‎ the replication of excellent practices.‎ It emphasizes the need for‎ collaboration in implementing 30 complete‎ recommendations for the US and‎ its many jurisdictions for a‎ more fair and just society.‎

Deep-seated Racism Plagues Us Black‎ Communities:

A harsh UN study‎ has again highlighted racism and‎ the ongoing struggles of Black‎ communities in the US. Black‎ people are three times more‎ likely to be murdered by‎ police and 4.5 times more‎ likely to be imprisoned than‎ White people. Dr. Tracie Keesee,‎ a specialist on the task‎ group, voiced her dismay at‎ the heartbreaking tales of victims‎ denied justice, underlining the terrible‎ conditions. The report links this‎ ongoing injustice to slavery, the‎ slave trade, and the century-long‎ legalized apartheid that followed, resulting‎ in profoundly ingrained racism manifested‎ through racial profiling, police violence,‎ and other human rights violations‎ disproportionately affecting Black people.

African‎ Americans And Systemic Injustices In‎ The Us Justice System:

The‎ UN investigation revealed widespread injustices‎ against African Americans in the‎ US criminal justice system. Specifically,‎ children from African diaspora communities‎ have been given life sentences,‎ pregnant women have been chained‎ during childbirth, and individuals have‎ been held in solitary confinement‎ for long periods, all of‎ which are appalling. The survey‎ also shockingly found that just‎ 1% of police homicides result‎ in officer accountability. The investigation‎ disproved the idea that there‎ are a few “bad apples”‎ in the police force. It‎ revealed a systematic and deeply‎ rooted pattern of abusive conduct‎ that requires urgent and extensive‎ changes in law enforcement and‎ judicial systems.

Urgent Calls For‎ Policing Reform To Promote Racial‎ Justice:

To promote racial equity‎ and justice for everyone, the‎ UN report has called for‎ a fundamental reform of US‎ police. It has advocated for‎ reevaluating default first responders in‎ social concerns and exploring alternate‎ policy solutions, notably in mental‎ health crises and homelessness. The‎ research highlighted police officers’ job‎ overload and systematic prejudice, emphasizing‎ the need for rapid action‎ and restitution. The study also‎ underlined the need to harmonize‎ the use of force rules‎ with international norms, warning that‎ police brutality and accountability would‎ endure without significant revisions. The‎ report’s 30 recommendations for the‎ US and its jurisdictions emphasize‎ the importance of replicating successful‎ practices and fostering continued cooperation‎ to implement these recommendations, aiming‎ for a society that upholds‎ equity and justice for all,‎ regardless of race or ethnicity.‎

A report by the UN in policing, published after an official visit to the country, shows that Black people in the US are three times more likely to be killed by police than if they were White, and 4.5 times more likely to be incarcerated.

Dr Tracie Keesee, an expert member of the task force, said the testimonies she heard on how victims do not get justice or redress were “heart-breaking” and “unacceptable”. 

“All actors involved, including police departments and police unions, must join forces to combat the prevailing impunity,” she said

During their country visit, the experts heard testimonies from 133 affected individuals, visited five detention centres and held meetings with civil society groups as well as government and police authorities in the District of Columbia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis and New York City.

They say that racism in the US, “a legacy of slavery, the slave trade, and 100 years of legalized apartheid that followed slavery’s abolition”, continues to exist in the form of racial profiling, police killings and many other human rights violations.

The experts condemned the “appalling” overrepresentation of people of African descent in the criminal justice system.

They expressed concern over instances of children from the diaspora being sentenced to life imprisonment, pregnant women in prison being chained during childbirth, and persons held in solitary confinement for 10 years. 

The report notes that there are more than 1,000 cases of killings by police each year in the country but only one per cent result in officers being charged. 

The experts warned that if use of force regulations in the US are not reformed in accordance with international standards, killings by police will continue.

“We reject the ‘bad apple’ theory. There is strong evidence suggesting that the abusive behaviour of some individual police officers is part of a broader and menacing pattern,” said Professor Juan Méndez, an expert member of the Mechanism, as the Human Rights Council appointed panel is formally known. 

Mr. Mendez stressed that the police and justice systems reflect the attitudes prevalent in US society and institutions and called for “comprehensive reform”.

The report’s authors insist that armed police officers “should not be the default first responders to every social issue in the US”, including for mental health crises or homelessness, and call for “alternative responses to policing”.

The experts highlighted the burden of a “work overload” on police officers, as well as systemic racism within police departments, which need to be addressed.

The report made 30 recommendations to the US and all its jurisdictions, including the more than 18,000 police agencies in the country. It also highlighted local and federal good practices.

“We encourage the good practices to be reproduced in other parts of the country. We look forward to continuing to cooperate with the US to implement these recommendations,” Prof. Méndez said.

The Mechanism comprises three experts appointed by the Council: Justice Yvonne Mokgoro (Chair), Dr Keesee and Prof. Méndez. The experts are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.