Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach
The findings of this study outline the racial differences in stop and frisk decisions by Illinois officers in consent searches and those based upon reasonable suspicion within the context of the elements of focal concerns theory. The analysis for this study was performed using propensity score match...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/6/230 |
| _version_ | 1797529920881033216 |
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| author | Anthony Vito George Higgins Gennaro Vito |
| author_facet | Anthony Vito George Higgins Gennaro Vito |
| author_sort | Anthony Vito |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The findings of this study outline the racial differences in stop and frisk decisions by Illinois officers in consent searches and those based upon reasonable suspicion within the context of the elements of focal concerns theory. The analysis for this study was performed using propensity score matching (PSM) and allowed the researchers to create a quasi-experimental design to examine the race of the citizen and police decision making. According to our analysis of official Illinois law enforcement data, Black citizens, particularly males, were less likely to give their consent to a stop and frisk search. Black male citizens were also more likely to be stopped and searched due to an assessment of reasonable suspicion by the officer. Elements of focal concerns theory were also factors in pedestrian stops under conditions of consent and reasonable suspicion. Citizens judged as blameworthy were more likely to be stopped and frisked under conditions of consent and reasonable suspicion. The effect of a verbal threat and the officer’s prior knowledge about the citizen had even more significant impacts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:21:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b68dd7b5b38542df99a4374373b0c78f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:21:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b68dd7b5b38542df99a4374373b0c78f2023-11-22T00:25:20ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602021-06-0110623010.3390/socsci10060230Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory ApproachAnthony Vito0George Higgins1Gennaro Vito2Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Ball State University, 2000 W University Ave., Muncie, IN 47306, USADepartment of Criminal Justice, University of Louisville, 2301 S 3rd St., Louisville, KY 40292, USADepartment of Criminal Justice, University of Louisville, 2301 S 3rd St., Louisville, KY 40292, USAThe findings of this study outline the racial differences in stop and frisk decisions by Illinois officers in consent searches and those based upon reasonable suspicion within the context of the elements of focal concerns theory. The analysis for this study was performed using propensity score matching (PSM) and allowed the researchers to create a quasi-experimental design to examine the race of the citizen and police decision making. According to our analysis of official Illinois law enforcement data, Black citizens, particularly males, were less likely to give their consent to a stop and frisk search. Black male citizens were also more likely to be stopped and searched due to an assessment of reasonable suspicion by the officer. Elements of focal concerns theory were also factors in pedestrian stops under conditions of consent and reasonable suspicion. Citizens judged as blameworthy were more likely to be stopped and frisked under conditions of consent and reasonable suspicion. The effect of a verbal threat and the officer’s prior knowledge about the citizen had even more significant impacts.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/6/230stop and friskracial profilingpropensity score matchingfocal concerns theory |
| spellingShingle | Anthony Vito George Higgins Gennaro Vito Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach Social Sciences stop and frisk racial profiling propensity score matching focal concerns theory |
| title | Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach |
| title_full | Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach |
| title_fullStr | Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach |
| title_short | Police Stop and Frisk and the Impact of Race: A Focal Concerns Theory Approach |
| title_sort | police stop and frisk and the impact of race a focal concerns theory approach |
| topic | stop and frisk racial profiling propensity score matching focal concerns theory |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/6/230 |
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