Missionaries of the Sacred

Police Discretion and Racial Profiling PDF Print
Friday, 12 March 2010 00:00
Police officers have considerable discretion when it comes to deciding whom to stop, when a search is warranted, and so on. While this discretion is necessary, it is also necessary to ensure that it is being used justly. Continued evidence of racial profiling raises questions as to whether some officers are using their discretion properly. Consider the following examples:

  • In the 2008 National Household Survey of Substance and Drug Abuse, blacks and whites reported similar levels of illicit drug use (10.1%and 8.2%). Yet African Americans are more likely to be arrested on drug charges. According to a Human Rights Watch report, about a third of adult drug arrestees between 1980 and 2007 were African Americans.
  • In Homer, Louisiana, 85% of people arrested in 2008 were African Americans although only 61.8% of the population is black.
  • According to the US Department of Justice, while whites are more likely to be stopped by police for speeding, African Americans (78%)and Hispanics (85%) who are stopped are more likely to receive a ticket than whites (70%).
  • African Americans (22%) and Hispanics (17%) stopped at traffic stops are also much more likely to be searched than whites (8%).
 

JPIC Corner March 2010

Know Your Rights

One of the ways you can help overcome unfair traffic stops or arrests is by knowing your rights and filing a complaint after the incident. The American Civil Liberties Union has a pocket-sized card “What To Do if You’re Stopped by the Police” that you can download, print, and keep handy. This card is available in English and Spanish and includes tips for what to do if you are stopped by the police in your car, if you are stopped for questioning, if you are arrested, and if the police come to your home.

Download the PDF in English

Download the PDF in Spanish
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