The Association between Race and Decision to Search Vehicles Found With or Without Contraband During Traffic Stops

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Caroline Asnes
Caroline Asnes

Caroline Asnes is a sophomore at Wesleyan University majoring in the College of Letters and Government, with a concentration in Political Theory. She is originally from New Haven, CT. Caroline selected her course of research due to her interest in visualizing and classifying racial profiling and disparity in the criminal justice system, especially as it pertains to her home state.

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Abstract: Racial profiling in the criminal justice system is an issue that has been examined from several angles due to its relevance in the modern-day. Research in this area has looked at particular areas and utilized census data or overall criminal reports in an attempt to quantify discriminations officers make against Black citizens. This study examines data from over 360,000 traffic stops across Connecticut in 2018, examining only Black and White drivers who were stopped. Racial profiling is measured using indicators of search authorization, with officers either searching a vehicle with consent or forcing a search against the driver’s will. These disparities are also examined in the context of the finding of contraband and the stop’s location. The results revealed that there is an association indicating Black drivers may be subject to more forced searches than White drivers, particularly when there was no contraband found, and therefore no ultimate reason for the search to be conducted. The implications of these findings for understanding racial profiling are discussed.

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