An Examination of Contacts Between Police and the Public

• In Event: National Crime Victimization Survey Users’ Group

Abstract

This presentation will discuss estimates of the types and outcomes of contacts with police, using data from the 2020 Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS), a supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Contacts with the police are classified into three broad categories: police-initiated (e.g. traffic stops), resident-initiated (e.g. reporting crime), and contact as the result of a traffic accident. This presentation will look at the number and percent of residents that had contact with the police, the most common types of contact, and the outcomes of these contacts. Additionally, this presentation will discuss estimates of the threat or use of nonfatal force by police and perceptions of police behavior. Distributions by race, gender, age, and household income will also be presented.

Authors

• Susannah Tapp, Bureau of Justice Statistics

• Elizabeth Davis, Bureau of Justice Statistics