Racism plagues justice system: Hillary Clinton

There is a “systematic racism” inside America’s criminal justice system, Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has said ahead of Tuesday’s crucial primaries in five major US states.

“We have got to be honest with ourselves. We have systemic racism that is really at work inside of the criminal justice system,” ms Clinton, 68, said during a CNN-organised town hall in Ohio where Democratic primaries will be held on Tuesday along with Florida, North Carolina, Illinois and Missouri.

“We have got to be willing to stand up and question these inequities, and then go about the business of ridding them. We need to divert many more people out of the jail and prison system into diversion programmes, job programs, skills programmes. Where are doing this, although it is on too small a scale, it works.

Meanwhile, Ms Clinton has accused controversial real estate tycoon Donald Trump of “trafficking in hate and fear” and claimed that foreign leaders are calling her to express their support in order to stop the Republican frontrunner from entering the White House.

“I think all Americans should be concerned. It's clear that Donald Trump is running a very cynical campaign pitting groups of Americans against one another,” Ms Clinton said.

“He is trafficking in hate and fear. He is playing to our worst instincts rather than our angels of our better nature,” she said.