Overview:
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) should not exist in a Country that promotes a “Justice is Blind” philosophy. This philosophy holds justice as impartial and objective. Sadly, DMC statistics do not support justice as being blind in America.
Instructions:
• Research an article or event that illustrates an instance of DMC in your community. If you are unable to locate an instance of DMC in your own community find an instance in another part of the country.
• Summarize the article.
• Provide an analysis that identify the methods used to measure the extent of this DMC.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) in the American Criminal Justice System
In the United States, the concept of justice being blind is ingrained in the legal system as a principle of impartiality and fairness. However, the reality of Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) challenges this notion, shedding light on the systemic disparities faced by minorities in the criminal justice system. DMC refers to the overrepresentation of minority youth, particularly African American, Hispanic, and Native American individuals, at various stages of the juvenile justice system compared to their white counterparts.
Article Summary
One striking instance of DMC can be observed in a recent study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in the city of Chicago. The study revealed alarming statistics showcasing the disproportionate contact minority youth have with law enforcement compared to white youth. Despite similar rates of offending behavior across racial groups, African American and Hispanic youth were significantly more likely to be stopped, arrested, and detained by police officers.
Analysis of Measurement Methods
The methods used to measure the extent of DMC in the ACLU study included:
1. Data Collection: The study collected data on police stops, arrests, and detentions involving youth from different racial backgrounds. By compiling quantitative data, researchers were able to identify patterns of contact between law enforcement and minority youth.
2. Comparative Analysis: Researchers compared the rates of police interactions between minority youth and white youth. Disparities in contact rates at each stage of the justice system were carefully examined to assess the presence of DMC.
3. Statistical Analysis: Statistical methods such as regression analysis were employed to determine the likelihood of minority youth being involved in the criminal justice system compared to their white counterparts. This allowed for a quantitative assessment of the disparities present.
4. Qualitative Interviews: In addition to quantitative data, qualitative interviews with affected individuals provided insights into their personal experiences with law enforcement. These narratives highlighted the subjective impact of DMC on minority youth.
By utilizing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the ACLU study effectively highlighted the pervasive nature of DMC in Chicago and underscored the urgent need for systemic reforms to address these disparities.
Conclusion
The existence of Disproportionate Minority Contact contradicts the foundational principle of justice being blind in America. Instances like the ACLU study in Chicago serve as poignant reminders of the systemic inequalities embedded within the criminal justice system. Addressing DMC requires a multifaceted approach that includes policy reforms, community engagement, and ongoing research to ensure that justice is truly blind and equitable for all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
