A study from the Department of Justice in 2007 reveals:
- Blacks and Hispanics are 3 times more likely to be searched at a traffic stop.
- Blacks are twice as likely to be arrested.
- Blacks are 4 times more likely to experience the threat or use of force when arrested.
Other studies State and Federal studies:
- "A February 2009 study of traffic stops and searches in West Virginia found a similar pattern of racial profiling. The data reveal that African-American motorists were 1.64 times more likely to be stopped than White drivers. Hispanics were 1.48 times more likely to be stopped. After the traffic stop, non-Whites were more likely to be arrested, yet police in West Virginia obtained a significantly higher contraband hit rate for White drivers than minorities.
- In Minnesota, a statewide study of racial profiling during 2002 found that African-American, Hispanic, and Native American drivers were all stopped and searched more often than Whites, yet contraband was found more frequently in searches of White drivers’ cars. Had all drivers been stopped at the same rates in the 65 local jurisdictions reporting data, 22,500 more Whites would have been stopped, while 18,800 fewer African Americans and 5,800 fewer Hispanics would have been stopped.
- In Illinois, data collected after the 2003 passage of the Illinois Traffic Stops Statistics Act, sponsored by then-Illinois State Senator Barack Obama, shows similar patterns of racial profiling by law enforcement authorities. The number of consent searches after traffic stops of African-American and Hispanic motorists was more than double that of Whites. The consent searches found White motorists were twice as likely to have contraband.
- A 2005 study analyzing data gathered statewide in Texas reveals disproportionate traffic stops and searches of African Americans and Hispanics, even though law enforcement authorities were more likely to find contraband on Whites."-http://www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/racial-profiling2011/the-reality-of-racial.html
The question must be raised why is this the case? Is it a case of racism? Or are non-white citizens more likely to be doing illegal activities? The truth is in 2011 69.2% of all arrested people were white, 28.4% were black, and 2.4% were other races.Yet, 72.4% of Americans are white while only 12.6% of Americans are black. By these numbers it is a fact have a higher ratio of arrests to total population than whites. This could be because of the fact they are searched more often as you can tell from the studies above. Or this could be a case of the fact that around 25% percent of blacks are below the poverty line and feel they must do illegal activities to support themselves. .
Sources:
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