Race plays a huge role in how people view the judicial system in America, according to a national Monmouth University poll released on Dec. 18.

Demonstrators chant at Freedom Plaza in Washington
Demonstrators chant at Freedom Plaza in Washington (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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Eighty-six percent of Americans said they have been following news about incidents involving police officers and the deaths of black men very or somewhat closely. This includes the police shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri and the death of African-American Eric Garner at the hands of a New York City police officer who subdued him with a chokehold.

Overall, 43 percent said that blacks are justified at being upset with how the cases were handled, while 38 percent said that the black community's reaction is not justified.

The results are significantly different when broken down by race.

"Sixty-six percent of black Americans say that blacks are justified in being upset with the judicial system. Only 41 percent of whites and 35 percent of Hispanics say the same thing," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Only 29 percent of Americans think the New York grand jury would have indicted the cop who applied a chokehold in the Garner case if Garner had been white. Almost half said the victim's race wouldn't have changed the grand jury's decision, but again there is a racial divide.

"Fifty-eight percent of blacks believe that the outcome of the grand jury would have been different if Eric Garner had been white, while only 24 percent of whites think that would have changed the calculation of the grand jury. Only 27 percent of Hispanics feel the same way," Murray said.

Overall, one in three Americans feel that police officers are more likely to use excessive force against a black person than a white person when put in a dangerous situation. There is a stark racial divide on that question as well. At 64 percent, blacks are far more likely than either Hispanics (35 percent) or whites (26 percent) to say police are more likely to use excessive force when dealing with a black person.

Is racism more prevalent among cops than it is among other groups in America?

Fifty-six percent of Americans say "no," but 48 percent of blacks believe police are more racist than other segments of society. Only 24 percent of Hispanics and 19 percent of whites feel that way.

The poll was conducted by telephone from Dec. 10 to 14, 2014 with 1,008 adults in the U.S. This sample has a margin of error of + 3.1 percent.

 

 

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