Report of Racial Disparities in the Military Justice System
Abstract
Given the available data and current findings, we cannot conclude that differences in race alone reveal an institutionalized bias in the military justice system. Similar to predicting whether a SM will receive a promotion or if a unit will successfully accomplish a mission, multiple factors often contribute to whether a SM will face some form of disciplinary action. Recognizing that differences currently exist between racial groups regarding CM and NJPs is an important first step in ensuring that the military justice system is fair to all. However, moving forward, more data needs to be collected and analyzed to determine if and where biases exist in the military justice system and what factors, including race, are contributing to differences in military justice among SMs. Logistic regression and other more sophisticated analyses allow researchers to control the impact of other factors (e.g., promotion recommendations, prior waivers, etc.) in order to both isolate the impact of race specifically, and to identify what factors best predict the likelihood of facing military discipline. Additionally, these analyses can allow better identification of potential biases so that leaders can recognize not only if and where biases exist, but how they manifest (e.g., form of punishment) and who may be at most risk (e.g., black male enlisted infantry in a particular branch).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1125711
Entities
People
- Benjamin Farmer
- Daniel P. Mcdonald
- Elaine Choy
Organizations
- Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute