Experienced Racism and the Risk of Offending Among Dutch Caribbean Women

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

The Netherlands – like many other European countries – has its own colonial past and enduring post-colonial ties to the Caribbean. Although the topic of racism has long been violently denied and ignored in The Netherlands, racist stereotypes of black ethnic minorities still pervade throughout society, the media, and typical Dutch traditions (i.e., the Blackfacing of ‘Zwarte Piet’). American studies have shown a direct impact of experienced racism on the risk of offending among African Americans. Even though Dutch crime statistics clearly show an overrepresentation of male and female post-colonial Caribbean migrants, no Dutch study has previously examined whether this apparent heightened risk to come into contact with the justice system is related to experiences with racism. Moreover, research among women concerning experienced racism and offending is extremely scarce. The current study examines racism as a potential risk factor for offending among 150 Dutch Caribbean women in The Netherlands (of which 50 currently incarcerated). I will present preliminary result of extensive life history interviews and questionnaires. In the analyses I aim to compare women who were and who were not in contact with the criminal justice system on their relative experiences with racism throughout their life-course.

Author

• Katharina Joosen, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement