Latino Skin Color and Police Activity

• In Event: Latinos, Immigrants, and the Importance of Police Views and Emerging Issues

Abstract

Criminological work surrounding Latinos and police activity has grown in recent years. Research has emphasized the heterogeneity of the Latino experience, particularly as it relates to skin color. Skin color, in prior work, has been found to influence criminal justice experiences among ethnic minorities. Using a sample of Latinos from an online survey, this study explores how skin color influences a variety of police activity including police interactions and the desire to keep a low profile from police. This will contribute to the understanding of how phenotypic qualities are perceived to influence police exchanges among Latinos, a group that is far from monolithic and whose experiences are still being examined.

Author

• Chris Guerra, The University of Texas at El Paso