You are a supervisor at a company that does not have an affirmative action prog

You are a supervisor at a company that does not have an affirmative action program. In looking to hire a new person for a certain position the person who best fits the job criteria is a white male age 30. Two other candidates are also well qualified for the position but just slightly less so than the top candidate. One of the other candidates is African American; the third is a white woman age 63. You believe that in general there is societal discrimination against minorities and older people. Should you give a little extra credit to the candidates who are in protected classes given that you can justify whatever choice you make? How would you decide between the African-American man and the older white woman? Should you take into account that the man supports a wife and three children whereas the woman has an employed husband and no children?