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Complaints about police misconduct have adverse effects for Black civilians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2023

Patrick W. Kraft Open the ORCID record for Patrick W. Kraft [Opens in a new window]  and
Benjamin J. Newman
Patrick W. Kraft
Affiliation:
Juan March Institute & Department of Social Sciences, Carlos III University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Benjamin J. Newman*
Affiliation:
School of Public Policy & Department of Political Science, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Benjamin J. Newman; Email: bnewman@ucr.edu
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Abstract

Existing literature examines the effectiveness of civilian oversight in reducing police misconduct. However, little-to-no quantitative research explores possible adverse consequences of this accountability mechanism. Utilizing time series analysis of administrative data on aggregate monthly civilian complaints and police behavior in the largest American city, this article offers evidence of racial inequality in police response to civilian complaints. For White civilians, complaint against the police abates subsequent police stops. For Black civilians, complaint is associated with subsequent intensification of police stops. This intensification only follows complaints against White officers, is conditional upon officer knowledge of the complaint, is confined to stops involving greater officer discretion to perform the stop, and is only observed in police precincts with large Black populations.

Keywords

police accountabilitypolice reformpolicingracial biasstop and frisksystemic racism

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Political Science Research and Methods , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , July 2024 , pp. 451 - 474
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of EPS Academic Ltd

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