According to history, police brutality as well as discrimination against minorities, has been an underlining reason for riots. Within the United States there has been a total of 13 riots that were associated with racism (rowen 2015). As seen within society there is a clear distinction between those who enforce the law and those who are to abide by the law. In 1992 the Los Angeles Riots were described to be the most deadly and costly riots. The L.A. riots were a catastrophic event, the product of conflict between police enforcement; specifically white police enforcement and those of color over the corruption of the judicial system. The main cause of the L.A. riots was solely based on the oppression and inequality that those of color had to deal with.
During the time that the L.A. riots took place, Watts was a predominantly a low-income community with a large African-American population, many of whom felt that in addition to high unemployment, poverty and racial discrimination, its residents were regularly on the receiving end of police brutality[ CITATION mos15 l 1033 ]. In retrospect, the L.A. riots seemed to be inevitable. The unemployment rate was as high as 25 percent amongst young black men; rates of drug addiction and alcoholism soared; while gang violence was staggering[ CITATION jos12 l 1033 ]. These sentiments fueled a bitterness and resentment that wouldn't need much prodding to turn violent.
During the time of the L.A. riots the U.S. government formed official commissions to determine what the prime cause of the riots were. According to these commissions, the main reasons beside police discrimination, was the level of education as well as few job opportunities for minorities. As seen, because of poverty during this time period, it definitely contributed to the uprising and retaliation of the African American population[ CITATION mos15 l 1033 ]. .
Although poverty was one of the causes that contributed to the L.