An Analysis of Post-Search Decision-Making: Disparities in Search Durations

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

Although there is general acceptance of law enforcement’s use of criminal profiling, such actions become problematic when they appear to be discriminatory in nature. Racial profiling, in particular, is a focal concern of scholarship on race and policing, largely centering on disproportionality in stop rates (i.e., disparity indices). However, post-stop decisions are arguably more consequential for motorists, and therefore require additional attention in the racial profiling literature. To add to the scholarly understanding of officers’ decision-making regarding whether a search will be initiated and the dynamics of those searches, the current study examines search rates and durations within 20 years of mandatory annual vehicle stop reports in Missouri. This study also explores the agencies’ justifications for racial and ethnic disparities within those statistics. Findings demonstrate that Black and Latino motorists are searched more often when compared to White motorists, the majority of search durations are under 15 minutes, and agencies often use search incident to arrest as the justification for disparities. Implications for research, theory, and policy will be discussed.

Authors

• Tatianna Kilgore, Sam Houston State University

• Miltonette Craig, Sam Houston State University