Five Myths About Crime in Black America–and the Statistical Truths

Trayvon Martin's killing stirred many debates about crime surrounding black men. It also kicked up many familiar misconceptions, like the idea that black-on-black crime is uniquely bad. Hatty Lee's infographic breaks down the realities.

By Hatty Lee, Shani O. Hilton Apr 13, 2012

In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death, we’ve seen a lot of discussion of the larger societal issues that play into how and when people are perceived as criminals. There were hoodies, there were marches, and there were frank talks from parent to child about how to minimize the danger of being a young person of color. On the other side, there were justifications of George Zimmerman’s actions: a smear campaign against Martin’s character, and plenty of writers explaining that statistically, blacks are simply more dangerous to be around.

That framing ignores the realities behind the numbers. Here are five myths about crime and people of color.

–Shani O. Hilton