Exploring Untested Measures on Public Opinion on the Use of Racial Profiling During Traffic Stops to Identify Criminals

Abstract

In recent years scholars have researched various aspects of public opinion on racial profiling. To date the literature has confirmed that racial and ethnic minorities tend to perceive the practice of racial profiling differently than do Whites. Specifically, Blacks and Hispanics tend to perceive profiling as being widespread and not justified. A host of other correlates, such as age, gender, education level, class, and neighborhood factors, also significantly predict public opinion on profiling. This article diverges from past research by attempting to determine whether perceptions regarding the discriminatory nature of the practice, the belief that racial profiling is unethical, and the perception that racial profiling is effective influence views on the topic. We find that each of these measures significantly influences public opinion regarding the view that public opinion occurs or that it is an acceptable practice.

KEYTERMS:

• Policing
• racial profiling
• discrimination
• public opinion
• traffic stops

Notes

1. We thank a reviewer for suggesting that we expand our results by presenting the findings from regression analyses of the correlates of the individuals’ perceptions that traffic stop racial profiling is effective, unethical, or discriminatory. For each model we used age, Hispanic, Black, income, education, and male as potential correlates. The correlates of the perception that traffic stop racial profiling is effective were age (b = 0.13), Black (b = 0.11), and education (b = −0.15). The correlates of the perception that traffic stop racial profiling is unethical were age (b = −0.10), education (b = 0.11), and male (b = −0.08). The correlates of the perception that traffic stop racial profiling is discriminatory were age (b = −0.15) and Black (b = 0.10).

2. One reviewer suggested that we include a measure of location in our models. This was not possible given that all of the responses came from one state. When we delved into the data that we had we were not able to reasonably create a geographical distinction of north, east, south, and west that would be defendable within Pennsylvania; thus, we did not include location as a measure and suggest that future researchers should investigate this issue.