Understanding Bias-Based Traffic Law Enforcement:
A Manual To Reduce Bias-Based Traffic Law Enforcement

 Acknowledgments

Introduction

Self-Assessment

Definition

Traffic Enforcement

Community Outreach

Data Collection

Resources

Legislation and Case Law

Conclusion

Public Information and Feedback (Community Surveys)
Law enforcement agencies should elicit periodic feedback from the public on law enforcement practices and behavior. ww.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

A Survey Instrument
The U.S. Justice Department has developed a survey instrument that has been used by several police departments to obtain information from the public about their satisfaction with police performance and their perceptions of police activities. www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

Making the Grade
The Applied Research Center (ARC) is a public policy, educational and research institute in Oakland, California whose work emphasizes race and public policy. ARC’s recent education policy reports and resources include Making the Grade: A Racial Justice Report Card, Facing the Consequences: An Examination of Racial Discrimination in U.S. Public Schools, and No Exit? Testing, Tracking and Students of Color in U.S. Public Schools. www.arc.org

Profiles in Injustice: Why Racial Profiling Cannot Work
Written by David Harris, Profiles In Injustice is the definitive work on racial profiling, the controversial use of race or ethnic appearance to predict criminal behavior. According to Harris, many believe that racial profiling is just a “common sense” way to fight crime. But Profiles In Injustice shows that this is a myth. One of those beliefs is widely held, seldom questioned, but wrong. www.profilesininjustice.com

A Resource Guide on Racial Profiling Data Collection Systems
Published by the U.S. Department of Justice (November 2000). The guide, prepared by staff at Northeastern University provides an overview of the nature of racial profiling, a description of the data collected and related activities in California, New Jersey, North Carolina and Great Britain. www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/184768.pdf

Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response
A full text of research and report from the Police Executive Research Forum. www.policeforum.org/racial.html

Articles on Bias-Based Traffic Law Enforcement/Racial Profiling

This web site lists articles and sites with information about racial profiling.
www.racerelations.about.com/cs/racial profiling

This web site lists traffic stop stories, legislation and State cases involving racial profiling. The site also includes links to data collection based sites.
www.csdp.org/news/news/profiling.htm

This web site lists accused airlines of racial profiling. www.usatoday.com/usaton line/20020604/4161986s.htm

Feinstein says racial profiling fears hinder FBI, San Francisco Chronicle
(June 3, 2002). www.sfgate.com

San Francisco traffic stops show racial disparities, San Francisco Chronicle (May 8, 2002). www.sfgate.com

Mayor asks Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg for a Hand/Racial Profiling-Cincinnati Enquirer (April 11, 2002). www.enquirer.com

Profiling accord ready for signing, Cincinnati Post (April 10, 2002). www.cincypost.com

Protest Marks Death Of Cincinnati Man, Washington Post (April 8, 2002).
www.washingtonpost.com

Agreement reached in profiling suit, Cincinnati Post (April 3, 2002). www.cincypost.com

Agreement reached in racial profiling, Cincinnati Enquirer (April 3, 2002). www.cincypost.com

Police deny bias charge - Detroit Free Press (March 22, 2002). www.freep.com

Racial profiling of African, Hispanic (Latino), and Asian Americans. Article addresses the rights of those who feel they have been racially profiled.
www.ethnicmajority.com/racial_profiling.htm

Community link to articles on racial profiling www.racerelations.about.com/cs/racialprofiling

“Color Scheme”, The Life of Reilly, written by Rick Reilly. August 6, 2002 issue of Sports Illustrated addresses Driving While Black among professional athletes.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life
_of_reilly/news/2002/08/06/life_of_reilly

Racially biased law enforcement a national problem. Racial profiling cases around the nation. www.csdp.org/news/news/profiling.htm

Traffic-stop data won’t halt debate over racial profiling, Seattle Times (March 15, 2002).
www.seattletimes.nwsource.com

Thorny racial profiling debate, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (February 12, 2002)
www.seattlepi.nwsource.com

Racial Profiling in America - includes personal accounts and a 1999 report on racial profiling in the U.S. from the ACLU. www.aclu.org/profiling

Driving While Black or Brown - questionnaire regarding race-based traffic stops
by police. From the northern California chapter of the ACLU. www.aclunc.org/dwb-question.html

Issues: Racial Profiling - issue profile page from the Center for Policy Alternatives. www.cfpa.org/issues/racialprofiling

Policy: Racial Profiling - includes federal government texts, key documents, Legislation, and speech transcript by officials. From the U.S. Department of State. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/race/profile/official.htm

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