The criminal justice system clearly impacts minorities more than all others. Race and ethnic controversies continue to remain the center of problems many U.S. police forces face. Over the course of history, African Americans, Mexican Americans and Native Americans have been placed under the label as being a minority. In addition to the disparities and discrimination these minorities face each day from average citizens, they also endure a different type of discrimination and in some cases a more violent reaction, from members within law enforcement. Many cases of excessive use of force as well as other discriminating incidents have taken place for many years. Members of minority communities are outraged at the performance of their local law enforcement agency, and many demand answers for why they or their loved ones have suffered at the hands of someone whose primary job duty is to protect and serve the members of its community. Due to the growing number of cases in which police officers have been accused of taking the law into their own hands, more pressure is being placed on other law enforcement agencies as well as the Department of Justice for action and answers to both the victims' and their families, as well as any disciplinary actions against law enforcement.
From The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, to the infamous Rodney King beating, and the most recent case of Eric Garner and the unlawful use of the chokehold, each of these incidents has involved the victim being an African American male at the hands of a white male officer(s). Not only discrimination take place among every day citizens, but members of law enforcement find themselves in the midst of confrontation between victims' families demanding justice as well as the future they have with law enforcement. Different communities have different views and opinions when it comes to law enforcement and trying to understand the relationship between them and people of color.