An Experimental Look at Public Perceptions of Police Traffic Stops as a Crime Control Tool

• In Event: Building Trust: Strategies for Strengthening the Police-Community Relationship

Abstract

Since the Summer of 2020, police traffic stops remain a consistent societal topic, with many states and jurisdictions implementing or considering various restrictive traffic stop policies. Yet, little is known regarding public perceptions of the efficacy of discretionary traffic stops. The present study assesses whether outcome data information traffic stops causally impacts public approval of discretionary traffic stops as a crime control strategy. We distributed an online survey experiment randomly assigning respondents (N = 4,740) into either the 1) contraband condition (presenting “hit rate” outcome data), 2) disparity condition (presenting racial disparity outcome data), or 3) the control condition. In comparison to the control condition, the contraband condition significantly increased respondent support of discretionary traffic stops as a crime control tool. Black respondents assigned the contraband treatment were significantly more likely to support the use of discretionary traffic stops compared to Black respondents assigned the control condition. Although scrutiny exists regarding the efficacy of discretionary traffic stops, public opinion may be shifted if they are provided with information on the outcomes of such stops. Police agencies should consider coupling evidence-based strategies with data on the outcomes of crime control strategies, which may also address community desire for more transparency.

Authors

• Hunter Boehme, University of South Carolina

• Irick T.J. Geary, University of South Carolina

• Sohee Jung, University of South Carolina

• Robert A. Brown, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

• Peter Leasure, Ohio State University