State-Of-Black-Oregon-2015

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENTWe can’t forget that the Black community’srelationship with law enforcement andthe criminal justice system can hinder ourefforts to engage new voters. Researchshows that negative contacts with criminaljustice institutions alter how people perceivegovernment and their own role as citizens.Those who’ve had even minor encounterswith police later vote less often, trust electedofficials less and become less involvedcitizens than their peers who are simplyfacing economic disadvantages.• People imprisoned for more than a yeartrust government nearly 40 percent lessthan those without any contacts with thecriminal justice system.• When asked how much governmentleaders “care about people like me,”75 percent of people involved in thecriminal justice system said “very little,”compared with just 36 percent of similarpeople with no criminal justice contact.• Compared with people who’ve never hadcontact with the criminal justice system,those who’ve been arrested but neverconvicted are 16 percent less likely to “feellike a full and equal citizen” of the U.S.These individuals are also 20 percent lesslikely to believe that “everyone in the U.S.has a chance to succeed.”• People who’ve been stopped andquestioned by police, or arrestedfor a crime but never convicted, areabout 10 percent more likely thancomparable people to express distrust ofgovernment. 3, 4163