We examine the likelihood that the individual stopped is searched, whether the search yielded any contraband or evidence, and if the stop resulted in any enforcement measures. Given that the starkest disparities are between Black and white Californians, our research focuses on inequities between these groups in frequency of stops, reasons for stops, and outcomes to provide a more complete picture of what those experiences are like. Here we broaden the scope to law enforcement stops, which include the many interactions Californians have with law enforcement that do not lead to arrests.Ĭomplementing the 2021 RIPA Board report, we analyze the most recent stop data to better understand how interactions with law enforcement vary across race and ethnicity. 2020 Lofstrom, Martin, and Raphael 2020). This report builds on our previous work on arrests in California that found that criminal justice reforms implemented over the last decade have reduced racial disparities in arrests, bookings, and incarceration (Lofstrom et al. The most recent data available include nearly 4 million stops made in 2019 by the 15 largest law enforcement agencies in the state. The legislation-which was rolled out in waves based on the size of the agency-will require all law enforcement agencies in California to collect officer-perceived demographic and other detailed data for all pedestrian and traffic stops by 2023. Recognizing the need for data and research on law enforcement stops, the California legislature passed the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) in 2015. And while 54 percent of adults in California say police treat all racial and ethnic minorities fairly “almost always” or “most of the time,” only 18 percent of African Americans share that view. Among African Americans, 88 percent hold this view. Disparities are even greater at later stages in the criminal justice process, where Black people account for about 25 percent of county jail populations, about 26 percent of the probation population, and 29 percent of the prison population.Ī recent PPIC survey found that 62 percent of Californians believe that the criminal justice system is biased against African Americans. Inequities are especially stark between Black and white individuals: while Black residents make up about 6 percent of California’s population, roughly 16 percent of all arrests are of Black residents. This unrest further highlighted stark racial inequities in our criminal justice system and the need for reform. While the nation grappled with the greatest public health crisis in at least a century-a pandemic in which communities of color carried the heaviest burden-the killing of George Floyd, among others, sparked civil unrest around California and the country. These findings can provide guidance for discussing which stops can safely be reduced to mitigate racial inequities, which may also reduce risks and injuries to both officers and civilians. These disparities are driven primarily by traffic stops made by the 14 data-contributing police and sheriff departments (as compared with the California Highway Patrol).
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