New Report Shows Wide Racial Differences in Police Conduct

[KamaAina]

http://www.eji.org/node/1169

A comprehensive study of traffic stops and arrest data in Greensboro, North Carolina, uncovered wide racial disparities in police conduct.

The New York Times evaluated tens of thousands of traffic stops and years of arrest data and found that in Greensboro, police pulled over African American drivers for traffic violations at a rate far out of proportion with their share of the local driving population. They used their discretion to search black drivers or their cars more than twice as often as white drivers, even though they found drugs and weapons significantly more often when the driver was white.

Police were more likely to stop black drivers for no discernible reason, and they were more likely to use force if the driver was black, even when there was no physical resistance.

These disparities were found across North Carolina, a state that collects detailed data on traffic stops. Traffic stops are the most common form of police contact with citizens, and they frequently lead to searches, arrests, and involvement in the criminal justice system that can have lifelong consequences, especially for poor people.

Full story in this month's issue of DUH! Magazine, on newsstands now.

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. A president or Congress can only do so much about this.

This will require changing state laws and changing law enforcement cultures. A tough row to hoe.