STUDY: RACIAL DISPARITIES IN VERMONT POLICE TRAFFIC S

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Jan 9, 4:59 PM EST
BY LISA RATHKE
ASSOCIATED PRESS


BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) -- A study of statewide police traffic stops in Vermont, the second-whitest state in the country, has found racial disparities in how police treat drivers.

Black drivers were four times more likely than whites to be searched after traffic stops, and Hispanic drivers were nearly three times more likely, according to the University of Vermont study, "Driving While Black and Brown in Vermont." At the same time, black and Hispanic drivers were less likely than white and Asian drivers to be found with contraband that leads to an arrest or citation, according to the report, which was based on 2015 data.

Black and Hispanic drivers also were more likely than white drivers to get traffic tickets versus warnings, and black drivers were twice as likely as white drivers to be arrested after stops, the study said.

"Almost all of the agencies in our study exhibit disparities in traffic policing to one degree or another," said study co-author Stephanie Seguino, a professor in the UVM Department of Economics. "In other words, the results are not uniquely attributable to one or two agencies, but it's really a widespread problem in terms of policing."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_POLICE_BIAS_VERMONT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-01-09-16-59-21

[hibbing]

1. I'm shocked n/t

[Caliman73]

2. I think that it is a societal problem

I would be willing to put money on the idea that a meta analysis of studies in law enforcement, legal systems, health service delivery, and other areas of our life here in the States would point out similar information.

I hate to sound cynical in stating this, but I don't think that people are "just not prejudiced". I think that there are just people who work harder to counteract the prejudiced information that is presented to all of us every day. I am a person of color who grew up in a multi ethnic environment, and I know that I was certainly exposed to stereotypes, prejudice, and outright racism; some of which came from people in my own family toward other people of color.

[IronLionZion]

3. Even the most liberal people

subconsciously think someone who looks a bit different is suspicious.

Rural states with low diversity tend to pull over minorities just in case they might catch a drug runner.

Drug cartels know this and use "less suspicious" drug runners.

Rural states with low diversity have had cops shot and killed by white drug runners and meth heads for this very reason.

[raging moderate]

4. The Green Mountain Boys must be spinning in their graves.

Come on, Vermont! You can do better! You know you can do much better!

[yallerdawg]

5. 3 and 4 times more stops than whites!

Statistically, this means they would have to stop every black and brown person they see!

That would explain no People of Color at Bernie rallies. They were all being held at security.

[JI7]

6. this is a nationwide problem

[oberliner]

7. Vermont has a racism problem

They have one of the most disproportionate rates of black incarceration in the country.

[JI7]

8. the entire country has that priblem

[oberliner]

9. Vermont is one of the worst

Black Vermonters make up just 1.2% of the state's general population, but 10.7% of its incarcerated population.

https://mic.com/articles/124341/here-s-how-black-people-actually-fare-in-vermont-with-bernie-sanders-as-their-senator#.VRW9DMGa7