Preliminary paper by Ms. Leïla Zerrougui, Special Rapporteur appointed to conduct a detailed study of discrimination in the criminal justice system in implementation of Sub-Commission Resolution 2002/3
16. Research carried out thus far shows that there is undeniably a racial dimension to discrimination in the criminal justice system. It is an established fact that it is often a manifestation of racism, xenophobia or intolerance, and that aliens, minorities and indigenous populations are the victims most seriously affected by such discrimination. Yet they are not the only groups to suffer: other persons for other reasons (poverty, sexual orientation, physical or mental handicap, gender, etc.) are also victims of discrimination and subjected to unequal treatment in the criminal justice system. The problems encountered by the potential victims are often very different, but there are also similarities and common characteristics, and it will not, perhaps, be necessary to consider them separately.
Link to full text of the report: Working paper-discrimination criminal justice system-2003-eng