Does Systemic Racism Play in Peoria? A Case Study of Traffic Stops by the Peoria Police Department

Johnson, Britta

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/89482 Copy

Description

Title

Does Systemic Racism Play in Peoria? A Case Study of Traffic Stops by the Peoria Police Department

Author(s)

Johnson, Britta

Issue Date

2016

Keyword(s)

• Systemic Racism
• Peoria
• Traffic Stops
• Police

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to give a general guideline of understanding systemic racism using Peoria as the central case study; specifically traffic stops by the Peoria police department. This study predicts that racial and gender profiling is present in the traffic stops and search rates by the Peoria Police Department. It also tests major counter arguments presented by critics of systemic racism studies such as geographical factors and predictability of criminal activity lacking from previous research. The data was collected through the Freedom of Information Act via the Illinois Department of Transportation. The data was originally collected by the Peoria Police Department under the Illinois Traffic Stop Data Collection Act passed in 2004. The analysis of the data collected showed that traffic stop rates have throughout time had inconsistences in regards to percent blacks being stopped compared to the black population. These inconsistences are not explained by zip code data, which shows that these inconsistences remained true across all zip codes making up the city of Peoria. In addition, black people were more likely to be searched but less likely to have contraband on their person. And furthermore, when a black person was found with drugs, it was typically less than the average amount found on white citizens. This disparity hits black males the most between 20 to 40 years of age. This paper concludes by presenting recommendations to the Peoria Police Department and the public.

Type of Resource

image

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/89482

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2016, Johnson

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