Elected U.S. Prosecutors Overwhelmingly White, Male

Of the 2,437 elected prosecutors in the U.S., 95 percent are white, and 79 percent are white men, according to a study from the Women’s Donor Network. White men make up 31 percent of the U.S. population. The study found that 17 percent of elected prosecutors in the country are women, and just 1 percent are women of color. A majority of states – 60 percent – do not have a single black elected prosecutor. The Women’s Donor Network points to the numbers as likely playing a role in decisions not to indict white police officers in recent high-profile deaths of black men. “If we’re going to make progress creating greater justice, eliminating over-incarceration and excessive punishment, we are going to have to address the shocking lack of diversity in elected prosecutors in this country,” said Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative.