The Bonus Of Bias Summary

1095 Words3 Pages

The Bonus of Bias Article Review
Reiman, J. (2008). The Bonus of Bias. Criminal Justice Matters, 74(1), 20-21. doi:10.1080/09627250802476734
Author’s Purpose/ Goal
Reiman’s Article The Bonus of Bias was published in 2008 and is an excerpt from his work The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Prison that concisely demonstrates the idea that our social and economic institution’s work in unison with the criminal justice system to portray a distorted relation between criminality and poverty. This article acknowledges the various “bonuses” the wealthy get to enjoy and the consequential deficits that the impoverished must suffer.
Author’s thesis and main argument
Reiman’s (2008) article argues that “the ultimate sanctions of criminal justice sanctify …show more content…

Furthermore, a reference to the sensationalist use of strategic politics in the 1988 American presidential election by the Al Gore Campaign was highlighted by the case of Willie Horton. Horton was a convicted murderer who committed assault, armed robbery, and rape while on furlough. This incident was broadcasted to the masses to highlight that individuals such as Willie Horton who are both poor and black are the perpetrators of crime and should be the target audience of crime prevention strategies. Further Reiman stands to mention the cycle of the wealth distribution façade. The illusion of a functioning economy is provided by provided a minority with “very much” and the majority “with little to nothing”. Reiman implies through his work that the illusion of distribution stands as a reminder that society is perhaps in order and that there is economic justice. He describes this imbalance in wealth distribution as a “bonus” to the wealthy and a further attempt to ensure that the economically disadvantaged remain that …show more content…

Reiman’s successfully illustrates the influence economic and social intuitions breed poverty. Reiman expands on how the criminal justice system deal with individual legal and moral guilt, this association for the poor generates a correlation between poverty and individual moral failing and therefore creates the belief that poverty itself is a sign of weak or poor character. This notion of criminalization can be supported through the common perception of the American welfare system as government granted “charity” as opposed to the states fulfilled responsibility to its citizens to protect and promote the economic and social well-being of all. I resonated with this concept as I recognize this sense of thinking within contemporary society as those who use welfare are viewed as lazy and unwilling to earn their money. There is a negative connation around using government granted assistant and his notion is strongly engrained into society. Reiman challenges this wave of thinking and opens up a discussion regarding the mechanism of using this stereotypical mindset to avoid accepting responsibility for our collective

Open Document