Marcia Brown, one of our Lived Experience Consultants at User Voice shares what Black History month means to her, how it is firmly connected to the Criminal Justice system and what needs to change.
Black history month is important to me because it gives black people a moment and a space to be celebrated, highlighted, and advocated for. It’s a time to recognise our experiences, contributions, and influence within British society and across the world.
In my view, Black History Month is deeply connected to the criminal justice system. The system is supposed to be about rehabilitation and fairness, yet it often reflects conscious and unconscious biases held by the people within it. This contradiction is painful to see, because those biases can directly impact people’s lives and futures. The justice system should be a place of growth and change, but when discrimination and stereotypes influence decisions, it becomes counterproductive for everyone—both those working in the system and those caught up in it
As a youth justice graduate, User Voice lived experience consultant and as an individual who was once part of the system I’ve seen and experienced firsthand how unconscious and conscience bias affects others through my work. From an early age I realised how the education system often labels black youths as difficult, badly behaved, unwilling to engage compared to their white counterparts where they were more likely to be met with compassion, understanding and a more trauma informed, and holistic approach was taken into account. Instead of asking the right questions and seeking understanding the focus becomes about punishment, control and passing the problem on to someone else. These unhelpful and unequal practices create a butterfly effect which sets the stage for young people’s involvement within the criminal justice system. What starts in the classroom doesn’t need to end up in the courtroom which I’m passionate about changing.
In order to reduce over representation of black and other minority groups within the criminal justice system we need to firstly listen to people with lived experience who can give realistic and nuanced views and allow respected pillars and leaders of communities effected, to be involved in the decisions that directly affect them and their community. Change can only begin when all parties are brought to the table and each other’s views, experiences and knowledge taken seriously. Education plays a huge role in schools and therefore the education system needs to adopt a more trauma informed as well as culturally aware approach. What is key is being able to understand different types of behaviours as expression, communication, a cry for help and not always defiance. Instead of asking what is wrong with you, those who work in the education and justice system need to start asking what happened to you?