Implicit/explicit bias plays a role in most people’s decision-making processes. While the justice system is structured to eliminate bias, wide-ranging discretionary powers extended to justice system officials can result in bias. This is especially true when looking at race or ethnicity. Misdemeanor arrest rates and jail admission rates reflect marked disparities between black and white populations. A natural corollary to this is trust in police which also shows gaps between blacks and whites, as well as for Muslims, who may feel themselves unfairly targeted.

To understand Fairness of the Justice System as a function of inequality we used four indicators:

• Race & Misdemeanor Arrest
• Race & Trust in Police
• Race & Jail Admissions
• Religion & Trust in Police

Take a look at the chart to your right for an overall picture of this topic, and then look at each indicator and the scores in context for more detail and additional findings.