STUDIES:   

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“Representation matters. Cities with majority-black city councils experience less assertive policing… White and black drivers alike are less likely to be searched after a traffic stop. While these differences affect both whites and blacks, they are more pronounced among black drivers."

Better for Everyone: Black Descriptive Representation and Police Traffic Stops Better for Everyone: Black Descriptive Representation and Police Traffic Stops Table 2 reports the results for models that predict the overall (total) search rate, the white search rate, and the black search rate. Table 2 demonstrates that when the majority of the city council is composed of black members, there are lower search rates of all drivers, regardless of race. Table 2 reports the results for models that predict the overall (total) search rate, the white search rate, and the black search rate. Table 2 demonstrates that when the majority of the city council is composed of black members, there are lower search rates of all drivers, regardless of race. Predicted black and white search rates, by presence of majority-black city council Predicted black and white search rates, by presence of majority-black city council It is noteworthy that not only are the bulk of the observations to the right of the equality line indicating that black drivers are searched more frequently in most departments but also that a majority of departments have a search rate of 2 or greater indicating that black drivers are searched twice or more as frequently as white drivers in most departments It is noteworthy that not only are the bulk of the observations to the right of the equality line indicating that black drivers are searched more frequently in most departments but also that a majority of departments have a search rate of 2 or greater indicating that black drivers are searched twice or more as frequently as white drivers in most departments
Better for Everyone: Black Descriptive Representation and Police Traffic Stops
Working paper
Christiani, Leah / Shoub, Kelsey / Baumgartner, Frank R. / Epp, Derek A. / Roach, Kevin
2021
https://fbaum.unc.edu/articles/PGI-2021/DescripRep_PGI2021.pdf
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