Racial profiling by police in New York and throughout the United States is a serious problem. Statistics point to the fact that law enforcement officials frequently select who they will pull over or stop based on race, and if you are a member of certain racial or ethnic categories, you’re far more likely to have an interaction with a local law enforcement officer.
On the website for The Leadership Conference, we can see what the statistics say about the topic of racial profiling:
— For every 10,000 citizens, African Americans are stopped 3,400 times. Hispanics were stopped 360 more times.
— Stopped African Americans are 127 percent more likely to get frisked than Caucasians.
— Stopped Hispanics are 43 percent more likely to get frisked than Caucasians.
— Stopped African Americans had a 76 percent higher chance of getting searched.
— Stopped Hispanics had a 16 percent higher chance of getting searched.
— Stopped African Americans had a 26 percent higher chance and stopped Hispanics had a 32 percent higher chance of getting arrested.
Not only is racial profiling unlawful and unfair, but it also appears to be out of sync with reality. Frisked African Americans and frisked Hispanics were significantly less likely to have drugs, firearms or other illegal items on their person as compared to Caucasians.
If you’ve been racially profiled, you may have a case to seek justice and financial justice in court. A New York civil rights attorney can help you file damage claims to pursue compensation for any injuries you may have suffered related to your unfair and unlawful encounter with the police.
Source: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, “The Reality of Racial Profiling,” accessed June 01, 2017