Other Publications on Public Safety
 

Racial Profiling: Towards A Standardized Collection, Analysis And Dissemination Method 

 

This report by Robert W. Taylor, Ph.D., of the University of North Texas provides a description of the results of a pilot project involving 5 police agencies in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, which was conducted to (1) develop a racial profiling data collection instrument that could be standardized across all Texas police agencies, and (2) create common procedures for the analysis and dissemination of data collected in accordance with the racial profiling law in Texas.  (2005)       

  
Testing the Racial Profiling Hypothesis for Seemingly Disparate Traffic Stops on the New Jersey Turnpike  
 
This paper by James E. Lange, Mark B. Johnson, and Robert B. Voas describes 2 studies designed to produce benchmark values with which to compare police stop data in an effort to assess racial profiling.  Results revealed that the racial make-up of speeders differed from that of non-speeding drivers and closely approximated the racial composition of police stops. This offers a plausible explanation for the findings that Black drivers are represented among traffic stops at a higher rate than they are represented in the population. (2005)  
Contacts Between Police and the Public: Findings from the 2002 National Survey
 
This publication by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) of the Office of Justice Programs at the US Department of Justice represents the annual report to the Congress as required by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which mandates the collection of data by the Attorney General on the “use of excessive force by law enforcement officers.” The report’s findings are based on the Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS).  Among other things, this report offers information about the incidence and prevalence of contact with police and reasons for contact with police. (2005)  
 
*   *   *  
 
 
Among other things, this Special Report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics offers more detail about driver characteristics (gender, age, race), the likelihood of drivers being stopped, police searches, police use of force, and use of excessive force. (2006)
 
 
 
 
 
Offender reintegration requires a concerted effort among criminal justice practitioners – including law enforcement – to address the impact made by returning offenders.  The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) partnered with the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the Office of Justice Programs at the US Department of Justice to comprehensively examine law enforcement’s role in offender reentry initiatives. IACP’s goal is to increase law enforcement’s participation in offender reentry through the provision of information, sharing of leading practices, and development of products to promote public safety partnerships. (2006)  
 
 
This comprehensive report by PolicyLink highlights over 80 practices in more than 50 cities and serves as a resource for local communities seeking to improve community-police relations and to achieve greater police accountability. (2001)
 
 
 
*   *   *
 
   
When communities attempt to move beyond protest to proposals for change and policies with real impact, they face an array of issues, choices, and challenges. Finding solutions to bridge the divisions between police and communities of color requires true engagement of those communities. PolicyLink has seen examples of this engagement at work and incorporated them as a basis for the strategies recommended in this manual. Note: This manual helps communities institute reforms such as those described in PolicyLink’s 2001 report. (2004)