Racial disparities in the criminal legal system have perpetuated harmful stereotypes that black and brown communities are inherently criminal. More than 60% of wrongful convictions that resulted in a DNA exoneration were caused in part by eyewitness misidentification. Systemic racism within the legal system plays a significant role in shaping society’s perceptions of crime and those accused of committing it. The concept of "criminality" is disproportionately tied to racial and ethnic minorities, especially Black and Latino communities.​

​