NCJ Number
191964
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 60-62,64,65
Date Published
October 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the controversial issues generated in the collection of race-based traffic stop data.
Abstract
In collecting race-based traffic stop data, law enforcement agencies’ main objective is to determine if police officers are stopping a high percentage of racial or ethnic minority drivers and treating them differently from non-minority drivers. Numerous states have either passed or are considering legislation requiring all police agencies to track traffic stops. In addition, Congress is considering Federal racial profiling legislation. However, the passing of any racial profiling legislation has not been without controversy and tremendous concern by law enforcement. The article provides a brief overview of the State of Connecticut’s racial profiling law as it was the first state to pass legislation. Connecticut’s experience did not result in widespread negative effects, but revealed that concerns over collecting race-based traffic stops data was for the most part unwarranted. Twenty major concerns by law enforcement are noted: (1) the fear by police officers of looking unfair or biased when making traffic stops; (2) officers having to inquire about a motorist’s race; (3) potential increased litigation against the police in intensifying poor police-community relations; (4) media attention will reinforcing perceptions of bias; (5) a single unfavorable statistic causing the perception that the practice is widespread; (6) a divisive wedge between management and line officers; (7) accuracy of data, if officers distort information; (8) blatant political exploitation where police cannot win; (9) no standard for racial disproportionality; (10) the commonality of population anomalies; (11) inaccuracies existing in Census data; (12) excessive report writing time; (13) more minorities stopped; (14) more paperwork and less activity; (15) police deployment proportional to demand; (16) poverty and race correlations in America; (17) spurious stops of whites to balance the books; (18) false accusations by unhappy employees; (19) defense of an accusation; and (20) McCarthy Era-Style accusations. Racial profiling is viewed as an extremely sensitive topic, and in lieu of collecting race-related traffic stop data, departments should be proactive in developing the means to decrease incidents and perceptions of racial profiling.