Slavery Story by Harriet Jacobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Slavery Story by Harriet Jacobs - Essay Example This clearly establishes Jacobs' own status as a person and to make a case against the dehumanization inherent in slavery. Moreover, these women were denied the right to bond, nurture and care for their babies. Indeed fact, it was not unusual but common for the plantation master to satisfy his desires with his female slaves and force them to bear his offspring. As Linda points out, children from such unions were often sold to protect the honor and dignity of the slaveholder's wife, who would otherwise be forced to face the undeniable evidence of her husband's lust. Notably, in an attempt to further humanize these victims, she addressed the women of the North, desperately trying to show them that unless they spoke out in protest, they were just as guilty as Southern slaveholders of supporting and perpetuating the system of slavery. In short, apathy towards the act of slavery is just as horrendous as the act itself. We immediately see the human calling in this piece because from the beginning, Jacobs identifies herself as a slave girl. She maintains focus on her female gender. Because she refers to herself as "a slave girl," she implies-and later states explicitly-that she is speaking not only for herself, but also for her sisters still in bondage. Truth be told, this is actually a documentary. In furtherance of Jacobs' establishment of her own status as a person and to make a case against the dehumanization inherent in slavery, Linda continues to exist in this tortured world. Linda could have left her master. As the story progresses we learn that Linda actually had many opportunities to escape. Determined, she chooses to give up her freedom and her own life to save her children. This is the natural choice of a mother. Thus despite the continued abuses suffered by Linda, she presented her story not just as a woman but as a mother. Finally, it is apparent that Jacobs was determined to convince the world of the devastating and dehumanizing impact of slavery on women. In so doing, she let us see the impact from several perspectives. We see it as a female, and as a girl growing into a woman. Further adding to the experience, we see her as a mother and as one who has the daily risk of loosing her babies to the plantation owner that raped her. It is sickening that a woman had to fear one of the most important parts of her life, the beauty of being pregnant. Indeed, perhaps Jacobs transcends the human nature, because while many of the children of these poor slave women were the result of involuntary sex, it did not interfere with the immediate maternal instinct. It is all of these moments that bring Jacobs' perspective as a truly human

Racial discrimination within the criminal justice process in England Essay

Racial discrimination within the criminal justice process in England and Wales - Essay Example The United Nations Human Rights Committee highlighted some racial discrimination issues in the UK in 2001 especially the high number of the black population in prisons and unlawful stops and searches. Although, the criminal justice system has changed the approach to investigating and sentencing racially motivated crimes, the courts still have the powers to increase the sentence for the racially motivated crimes. This discrimination leads to victimisation of the ethnic minorities by the same institutions that are tasked with safeguarding their rights. Bowling (1998) is of the idea that racial discrimination exists at all stages of criminal justice system from police profiling of offenders on the basis of race, police mistreatment of the offenders in their custody and imposition of harsher judicial penalties to members of particular races (Brown, 1984). Racial stereotyping and prejudices by the officers in the judicial system leads to overrepresentation of members of a particular race in the prison system. Discriminatory law enforcement tactics such as unwarranted stop and searches towards citizens of a particular race and counter-terrorism tactics that aim at invading the privacy of members of a particular race contribute to the undermining and violation of the fundamental human rights of these citizens. Sudbury (2005b) points out that Article 1 of the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), any distinction, preference or restriction that is based on descent, race or ethnic origin which has the effect of impairing the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms can be termed as a form of racial discrimination (McKenzie, 1998). Racial discrimination in the criminal justice system in the UK has attracted intense international debate and condemnation leading to a declaration of several global conferences on racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created several offenses that are lin ed with racial violence, harassment and public disorder and provided the maximum sentence (McKenzie, 1998). However, the Act increased racial discrimination in police profiling and prosecution of racially motivated offenses. It is a legal obligation for the law enforcement officers to use their powers of stop and search in a fair manner without discriminating the citizens on the basis of race or ethnic grouping (Malleson, 2007). Racial discrimination is evidenced in racial police profiling especially in police stops and searches (Mhlanga, 1997). Law enforcement authorities use racial stereotypes in determining who has been involved in a criminal activity. Racial origins will sometimes influence the law enforcement officers’ decisions in making an arrest. In the case of suspected juvenile crimes, the police officers take in to account the demeanor and race of the juvenile in deciding whether to make an arrest. If the law enforcement officers perceive that the offender is disre spectful, there are higher chances of arrests especially for the racial minorities. Some researchers have argued that black minorities are more likely to be shot during police arrests since the police officers use disproportionately more deadly force while making the arrests (Moorthy, Cahalin and Howard, 2004). Waters (1990) suggests