Tony At 10: RACIAL PROFILING; BLOG NUMBER 91; AUG 9, 2013

RACIAL PROFILING

STOP AND FRISK..--NY Times

....The debate on the use of the New York City Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactics has centered on whether officers are engaging in racial profiling. Is a person’s skin color a deciding factor in who is stopped? The current mayor supports the initiative and declares that it has had a significant effect on the decline of gun violence in the city. In a class action lawsuit in NYC, it was revealed that one officer taped a conversation between his Inspector and himself whereby the officer was directed to stop, question and, if necessary, frisk male blacks between the ages 14-22. The Inspector was targeting the 40^th precinct in the South Bronx which had totalled the highest number of stop-and-frisk actions in 2011. He declared that the way to stop violent crime was to intercept the‘right people at the right time, in the right place’.

A South Bronx Plyground

Burned out building in South Bronx

The South Bronx is served by the NYPD's 40th, 41st, 42nd, 44th, and 48th Precincts. It is also known worldwide as the birth place of 'hip-hop' culture.The South Bronx is part of New York's 16 Congressional District, the poorest Congressional district in the United States. Almost 50% of the population lives below the poverty line. Drug trafficking, gang activity, and prostitution are all still common throughout the South Bronx. Its precincts record high violent crime rates and are all NYPD "impact zones".

PROBABLE CAUSE

Probable cause is a concept which comes up most often in a legal context in the United States, where the 4th Amendment includes a specific reference to probable cause. It refers to a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed and that a particular person may be involved or responsible, and is used as the grounds for a legal search or arrest.

What constitutes probable cause for a stop and frisk? Is the 'location' of the stop a justification for 'probable cause'? Are the lateness of the hour, the style of dress, or suspicious group behaviours justifications for a stop. If blacks believe they are being profiled, should they modify their behaviours and dress. If it is necessary to be out late at night, should they avoid the areas where criminal activity is rampant. Do police abuse the concept of probable cause?

SOME STATISTICS:

Blacks make up 24 percent of New York City’s population. They committed 68.5 percent of all murders, rapes, robberies, and assaults in the city last year, according to victims and witnesses. At the same time they accounted for only 55 percent of all stop-and-frisks. Criminal activity among young African-Americans is the poison of cities and of race relations.

NYPD statistics show 96 percent of shooting victims are black or Hispanic.
Minority groups represent 89 percent of all murder victims and 86 percent of murder suspects.
In 97% of all shootings, the perpetrator was another black or Hispanic.
For felony assaults, 81% of victims are minorities, as are 88% of the suspects.
African-Americans are responsible for 55.5 percent of homicide, 45.5 percent of rape, 63.5 percent of robbery and 52.8 percent of aggravated assault.
Hispanics are 28.6 percent of the population, but are responsible for 33.8 percent of homicide, 43.1 percent of rape, 29.1 percent of robbery and 33.8 percent of aggravated assault.

Based on current rates of first incarceration, an estimated 32% of black males will enter State or Federal prison during their lifetime, compared to 17% of Hispanic males and 5.9% of white males.

IN TORONTO

TAVIS Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS).

The Neptune case, where 4 teenaged black youth were arrested, highlighted a police practice — the stopping, questioning and documenting of citizens in non-criminal encounters. The stops, also known as carding or street checks, have been criticized as unfairly targeting “racialized” youth, and for causing harm to police relations.

The Toronto Police Services Board has asked the city’s auditor general to examine the practice and the service is conducting its own internal review.

What is required here, a law suit or common sense? Where does the responsibility lie in terms of stopping crime? Is it in eliminating the 'Code of Silence'---no crackin off to the coppers?

KENNETH MURRAY

LAMAR SKEETE

Kenneth Murray was shot and killed in Toronto by Lamar Skeete for breaking the 'Code of Silence'.

GUNS AND GANGS

Profiling blacks, living in targeted areas with known gang ties may be logical Policework.
Drugs, guns, explicit rap and 'baby mamas' provide too much influence on young blacks growing up in troubled 'hoods?

BABY MAMAS

ROLE MODEL

Is the problem related to the fact that so many young black males grow up in troubled neighbourhoods without a father to provide a role model?

QUESTIONS:

Is it probable cause for police to go into areas where violent crime is very high and execute stop-and-frisk against blacks between the ages of 14 to 21? Do officers stop only individuals, who they believe are engaged in criminal activity, or are the stops a result of racial profiling?

QUOTE:
"Isn’t it sad how one's outside appearance can create uncertainty in the eyes of the police?"-Trenice Brockington, 10th grade, School of Information Technology at Eastside High School

LEMONS:

To Shawty Lo for his family of 11 children by 10 mothers. SERIOUSLY??