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4 Police Q. 4 (2001)

handle is hein.journals/policqurt4 and id is 1 raw text is: RACIAL PROFILING? A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF POLICE TRAFFIC STOP DATA MICHAEL R. SMITH Virginia Commonwealth University MATTHEW PETROCELLI California State University-Hayward Despite the significance of racial profiling as an issue of national concern, little empirical research exists on whether police traffic stop practices dis- proportionately impact minority drivers. Using data from 2,673 traffic stops conducted by the Richmond, Virginia, Police Department in 2000, this article explores the treatment by police of motorists of different races and ethnic backgrounds. Minority citizens in general, and African Americans in partic- ular were disproportionately stopped compared with their percentage in the driving-eligible population. Howeve, they were searched no more frequently than Whites; in fact, Whites were significantly more likely than minorities to be the subjects of consent searches. Compared with Whites, and after con- trolling for variables, minority drivers were more likely to be warned, whereas Whites were more likely to be ticketed or arrested. Examining officer race as a predictor revealed White officers were no more likely than minority officers to stop, search, or arrest minority drivers. Racial profiling is one of the most significant issues in American law enforcement today. The question of whether police intentionally target per- sons because of their race is increasingly being debated by law enforcement officials, civil rights groups, and ordinary citizens. Equally troubling in the eyes of many are aggressive police traffic stop (or stop and frisk) practices that may have a disparate impact on minorities even if they are not intention- ally discriminatory. At least 10 states have passed laws requiring their law enforcement agencies to begin collecting data on the racial demographics of POLICE QUARTERLY Vol. 4 No. 1, March 2001 4-27 @ 2001 Sage Publications from the SAGE Social Science Collections. All Rights Reserved.

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