Policing the pandemic in Chile. What is the relationship between vulnerability and arrests in Chilean cities?

• In Event: Crime, Science and Politics WG Panel 1. Criminal Policy legitimation

Abstract

During the coronavirus pandemic in Chile, more than 460,000 arrests were made. Were these arrests made equally in different cities, regardless of the percentage of migrant, indigenous and poor population? Although the literature highlights that criminalisation was stronger in Chile than in other countries, evidence suggests it was relatively equal among different socioeconomic areas. However, these analyses did not observe other types of vulnerability indicators. This becomes relevant in circumstances where studies from other countries have found a relationship between criminalisation and race and/or socioeconomic status in controlling COVID-19. I find, using negative binominal regressions, evidence of a positive relationship between percentages of migrants and indigenous people in a city and detentions by police. These findings are discussed by questioning the use of punitive control as public policy, criticising the over-policing of populations that are also more vulnerable to contagion (thus under-protected) and the implications of it from a conflict perspective; and also, the risk for legitimacy that accompanies unequal treatment. Methodologically a reflection in differentiating inequality (unequal distribution of control) from discrimination (inequality due to bias of police officers) is made. I also reflect on the pandemic as a natural experiment in which all the people on the street are targets to control since the crime is being outside home. This represents a unique methodological opportunity to reflect on selection bias.
Keywords: stay at home orders; policing; vulnerability; inequality.

Author

• Natalia Cabrera-Morales, University of Cambridge