'Racist' judges are MORE likely to jail black and Asian criminals for the same offences - and give them longer sentences, says Ministry of Justice

  • Black and Asian criminals almost 20% more likely to be jailed than whites
  • Average sentence for Afro-Caribbeans seven months longer than for whites
  • Blacks are six times more likely to be stopped and searched than whites

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 11:38 EDT, 24 November 2013 | Updated: 11:54 EDT, 24 November 2013

Judges and magistrates have been branded 'institutionally racist', following the publication of an official government study which found white defendants are handed more lenient sentences.

The report, produced by the Ministry of Justice, found black and Asian criminals were almost 20 per cent more likely to be jailed than whites for similar offences, the Independent on Sunday reports.

It also revealed that the average sentence handed to an Afro-Caribbean offender is seven months longer than the average sentence for a white criminal.

Institutional racism: Black and Asian criminals were almost 20 per cent more likely to be jailed than whites, a government report has found

Institutional racism? Black and Asian criminals were almost 20 per cent more likely to be jailed than whites, a government report has found

In cases when white defendants were found to have had previous convictions, many were still found to be being treated more leniently than non-whites with cleaner records.

The MoJ described the disparities as area of 'increasing concern' and said they were working to address the issue.

Criminal Justice Minister Damian Green told the Independent on Sunday: 'The Criminal Justice System should work to promote equality, and should not discriminate against anyone because of their race.

Graph shows sentence outcomes by ethnicity in England and Wales for 2012

Graph shows sentence outcomes by ethnicity in England and Wales for 2012

Graph shows average custodial sentence length by offence group and ethnicity in England and Wales for 2012

Graph shows average custodial sentence length by offence group and ethnicity in England and Wales for 2012

'Targeting a person or a group based on their race or religion is unacceptable, it is divisive and harmful to individuals and has no place in a civilised society.'

The report found that in 2011/12, a black person aged ten or older was six times more likely than a white person to be stopped and searched and nearly three times more likely to be arrested.

The report, entitled Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2012, compared conviction and sentencing rates for comparable offences taking into account guilty or non guilty pleas.

Graph shows Proportion of defendants receiving a fine (PND), caution or court proceeding for an indictable offence, by ethnic appearance in 2012

Graph shows Proportion of defendants receiving a fine (PND), caution or court proceeding for an indictable offence, by ethnic appearance in 2012

It found that 26 per cent of white criminals were handed immediate custodial sentences compared to 31 per cent for black criminals and 32 per cent for Asian criminals.

The average custodial sentence for black prisoners was 23.4 months but for white it was just 15.9 months.

Crown court judge and chairman of the Society of Black Lawyers Peter Herbert said the figures showed 'institutional racism', within the justice system.

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