ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7
Analysis and Recommendations
Teresa Jordan
PSL7020
Professor Webb
June 3, 2018
Solutions to problems for racial disparities in traffic stops could include community policing that could address the issue that will include programs for the officers and management. Also separate training for administrative and policy staff that will allow them to work with their managers and other officials to ensure police officer are not racially profiling. Policies and practices needs to be developed to reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system. It is my opinion to rid the system of unwarranted disparities there will have to be coordinated efforts among criminal justice leaders, policymakers, and community groups. Traffic stop reports and research proves that racial disparities exist, the problem cannot be resolved if officials constantly downplay the numbers. There is verifiable research that people of color are stopped more often than whites than whites. But, how much of the research is disparity because of discrimination and how much is other challenging factors. Different factors are driving patterns, difference in exposure to the police and difference in offending. Part of the problem could be racial bias in a few problems officers in a department. Benchmarks could be created to deal with these officers to identify if they are detaining disproportionately blacks and minorities versus whites. This could allow departments to look at these officer’s numbers and take the approximate action to fix the issue, either through training or termination. It is my opinion that the officers and their departments needs to be made accountable for their actions (NIJ, 2013).
Another solution that I believe is using street trigger cameras that takes pictures of a person’s tag when speeding, and mailing the ticket to the tag owner, and aerial patrols that cuts off the police from seeing the drivers which could also help with racial disparities in traffic stops.
Identify and discuss the impacts of diversity, ethics, and cultural competency on the decision-making process related to racial disparities in traffic stops.
Cultural competency is having the ability to understand, communicate, and effectively interact with diverse populations, measured by awareness, attitude, knowledge, skills, behaviors, policies, procedures, and organizational systems. Poor relations between community members and law enforcement officers can lead to feelings of distrust, anger and fear. Most blacks and Latino citizens think law enforcement agencies have unfair policies that only affect them and not whites. The importance of leadership and human resources knowledge of cultural competency is a valuable assess to the problems of racial disparities. Ethical decision making involves ethical sensitivity, ethical judgement and ethical choice. The decision making process should follow a sequence of steps to guide all law enforcement officials. Police officers are expect to serve effectively in their communities and to make everyone feel safe and not fear to approach them or be approach by them. Cultural competency and ethics also contributes heavily in minimizing racial disparities in traffic stops in America. During the police training process, the recruited police officers must be informed on the need to diligently adhere to professional ethics as opposed to being racially bias in the course of performing their duties (Barnum & Perfetti, 2010).
Evaluate the aspects of effective communication styles as applied to individual and group collaboration.
Evaluate the concepts of collaborative and communication techniques that have affected the development of relationships, partnerships, and alliances.
Evaluate the aspects of effective communication styles as applied to individual and group collaboration
Effective communication, be it individual or teamwork, helps in maintaining a warm work environment. In the police department, effective communication creates a conducive work environment meaning happier police officers interact with the public in a positive manner. Among the police force, effective communication starts with the top leadership in setting clear standards and methods to be followed (Alpert & Walker, 2000). The senior police officers should routinely set expectations ranging from the goals to teamwork interactions. The outlined expectations and set goals should be clearly stated by the leadership in the police force so as to minimize any form of confusion among the rest of the police officers.
We can expect the police force to curb racial disparities in traffic stops if the police officers themselves are confused with regards to what they are expected to do. Clearly laying out expectations is critical in the following common areas: anti-discriminatory and diversity policies; and policing procedures. One of the key elements to effective communication is being able to listen and understand what other people say. The police force should be in a position to instill its officers with the approaches to speak to the public. This entails engaging in open-door policies where the public is allowed to address their issues. This also involves offering debriefings on its projects, tip boxes, as well as conducting regular surveys. Thereafter, all the feedback obtained should be put into consideration and following it with actions as expected (Alpert, MacDonald, & Dunham, 2005).
Other than clearly defining communication policies, the police force must ensure that its officers adhere to them. The police officers will react positively when the expectations are well understood and when they also realize that their superiors consistently adhere to the rules as well. There should be no selective choosing of communication policies to adhere to as this will make the junior police officers to act as they wish. For communication to be effective, it must begin with the top police leadership and thereafter flows down the line to the rest of the police officers. Therefore, the top leadership must set the standards so that others follow the suit. The standards entail seeking feedback, addressing obstacles, setting action plans, and celebrating success (Alpert, 2007).
Research articles that examine racial disparities in traffic stops
Alfred Blumstein, Racial Disproportionality of U.S. Prison Populations Revisited, 64 U. Colo. L. Rev. 743, 751 (1993).)
Anthony, G. V., Elizabeth, L. G., & George, E. H. (2017). “The Issue of Racial Profiling in Traffic Stop Citations.” Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Vol. 33, Issue 4.
In this article, the authors conducted a study to look into racial profiling in traffic stops across several cities and states in America. The study found out that racial disparities existed in traffic stops with African Americans as the most affected. It was evident that most white police officers preferred pulling over vehicles during daytime because they in a position to visualize the skin color of the driver. In Greensboro, the African American only account for about 39% of the driving age residents. However, it is surprising to note that out of the drivers pulled over by the end of year 2017 in Greensboro, African Americans constituted about 54%. In addition, most African American drivers were stopped by white traffic police officers for regulatory violations which the officers could discretely ignore. On the other hand, White drivers would be stopped and then let go without being charged or receiving a warning. Experts saw this as a form of racial profiling (Anthony, Elizabeth, & George, 2017).
In the article, it has also been noted that in the previous years, there were minimal use of force by the traffic police officers during arrest. In most cases, it was the Black drivers who encountered such force from the police as some were putting up resistance. Of late, the use of force is quite common and 80% of the cases involve the Blacks even though some of these drivers never put up some resistance at all (Anthony, Elizabeth, & George, 2017). The traffic police department always attempts to defend themselves by alluding that most Black drivers are fond of attempting to flee when asked to pull over.
The article commends the efforts which were being put up by Medlock Harold, Fayetteville Chief. Besides deploying more traffic police officers in the areas which experience high crime rate, Medlock asked his officers to put much emphasis on the motorists who drive while drunk, over-speed as well as those who deliberately ignore stop signs and traffic lights. Indeed, it is difficult to visualize drivers who commit such violations. As such, this will minimize racial disparity because the officer will not be able select who to stop.
A traffic study showed that police officers, pulled over and searched vehicles belonging to blacks more times as compared to vehicles owned by whites, and with consent searches, 21% of Black searches have led to contraband. This in contrast to the 27% of White owned vehicle searches having contraband (Joseph, 2015).
References
Alpert, G. P. (2007). “Eliminate race as the only reason for police-citizen encounters.” Criminology & Public Policy, 6, 671-678.
Alpert, G. P., MacDonald, J. M., & Dunham, R. G. (2005). “Police suspicion and discretionary decision making during citizen stops.” Criminology, 43, 407-434.
Alpert, G. P., & Walker, S. (2000). “Police accountability and early warning systems: Developing policies and programs.” Justice Research and Policy, 2(2), 59-72
Ayres, I. (2002). “Outcome tests of racial disparities in police practices.” Justice Research and Policy, 4, 131-142.
Anthony, G. V., Elizabeth, L. G., & George E. H. (2017). “The Issue of Racial Profiling in Traffic Stop Citations.” Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 33(4).
Barnum, C., & Perfetti, R. L. (2010). “Race-sensitive choices by police officers in traffic stop encounters.” Police Quarterly, 13, 180-208.
Becker, S. (2004). “Assessing the use of profiling in searches by law enforcement personnel.” Journal of Criminal Justice, 32, 183-193.
Borooah, V. K. (2001). “Racial bias in police stops and searches: An economic analysis.” European Journal of Political Economy, 17(1), 17-37
Chiricos, T., Welch, K., & Gertz, M. (2004). “Racial typification of crime and support for punitive measures.” Criminology, 42, 358-390
Engel, R. S., Calnon, J. M., & Bernard, T. J. (2002). “Theory and racial-profiling: Shortcomings and future directions in research.” Justice Quarterly, 19, 201-225
Frank, R. B. et al. (2017). “Racial Disparities in Traffic Stop Outcomes.” 9 DukeForum for Law & Social Change, 21-53.
Joseph, A. (2015). Connecticut Study Finds Racial Disparity in Traffic Stops. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 5, 2018 from https://www.wsj.com/articles/connecticut-study-finds-racial-disparity-in-traffic-stops-1428452635
NIJ (January 10, 2013). Race profiling and traffic stops. Retrieved on June 03, 2018 from https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/legitimacy/Pages/traffic-stops.aspx