JuRa: Racism in the courtroom

Brief description of the project:

The study examines how courts exercise and manifest institutional racism in the practice of applying the law. While the justice system and its actors often assume that the principle of equal treatment is achieved by adhering to constitutional procedures, extra-legal realities and their effects are ignored: Empirical research has repeatedly shown that non-German nationals receive harsher sentences (custodial sentences rather than suspended sentences, longer prison sentences, more daily sentences).

Against this background, JuRa analyses what triggers such structural discrimination. The study aims to identify specific manifestations and practices of institutional racism in the justice system. Methodologically, the project utilizes court observations, group discussions with judicial actors, and interviews with people who have experienced racism. 

To the project page

Justice Collective

JuRa sub-project

Racism in the courtroom. Observation and discussion of the application of the law

Dr. Nicole Bögelein
Universität zu Köln

Racial profiling and then? Experiences with racism in court

Mitali Nagrecha
Justice Collective e.V.