The justice system criminalises and fails Black people disproportionately.

• Black people are four times more likely to be stopped and searched.³⁰
• In line with previous years, Black defendants continued to serve a greater proportion of their original determinate sentence in custody (62% in 2024).³¹
• Black people were 2.2 times as likely to be arrested than their white counterparts, Black men were 2.4 times and Black women 1.4 times as likely to be arrested than their white counterparts ³²

Black people are also not adequately represented among those empowered to deliver justice.

• Black people made up 1.3% of court judges and 1.7% of tribunal judges in England and Wales³³
• Black people made up 1.3% of police officers, and 4.4% of the working age population. Only 2% of special constables were from Black ethnic backgrounds compared to 83% from White backgrounds.³⁴

The immigration system has also failed Black people.

• The British state wrongfully detained or deported 164 people, with more leaving ‘voluntarily’ following repeated pressure from the Home Office – despite having a right to stay ³⁵
• Windrush Survivors report feelings of displacement, rejection, unbelonging and shame. They also described being criminalised despite having legal rights to reside in the UK