to an increase in criminal or deviant behavior; this information may help further explain the disproportionate percentage of minorities retained by the American justice system. An important factor that cannot be overlooked when researching the apparent disparities in the justice system is the percentage of minorities within the at-risk age group. Studies have shown that as people grow older, the likelihood that they will be arrested or incarcerated decreases. 26.5% of minorities are between the ages of 15 & 29. 26.9% of minorities are under 15 (Free, African..., 3). Over a quarter of the minority population falls in the highest risk for arrest category with another quarter moving in that direction. The risk of drug and alcohol abuse also peaks in the 15-29 age group (Trimble, Ethnic..., 29). This variable is often underrated, but it should be considered seriously when reviewing racial disparity. The reasons why over 50% of the minority population is under 30 may also be contributing factors to the disparity. Several theories have been advanced by social scientists to explain why minorities comprise 50% of the prison population and why their likelihood of arrest is so high. They focus on deviant behavior as the source of the racial disparity in the justice system and endeavor to discover the source of the behavior itself. The consensus and conflict theory focuses on the different and similar social values among races. It proposes that the similar values are too weak for races to achieve equality and the different values will harm the minority group because the values of the majority will predominate. The strain theory is simple: the more stressed an individual is, the more likely they are to commit a crime. The theory offers evidence that minorities are more strained due to economic and social disadvantage. The subculture of violence theory suggests that gangs and rap music and their popularity among youth has created a sub...
