Editorial: Cops targeting blacks for petty crime
If you still believe the distrust of law enforcement by minorities is exaggerated in New Jersey, here is another alarm bell that demonstrates how cops are not colorblind when it comes to enforcing the law.
The ACLU examined 10 years of arrest data from four cities on the enforcement of petty crimes – loitering, marijuana possession (50 grams or less), trespassing, and disorderly conduct – offenses that generally require the most discretion on the part of the officer.
It found a reprehensible trend of racial profiling and selective enforcement.
In Jersey City, where the population is 25 percent African American, 58 percent of those arrested for low-level crimes were black. That means they were nearly five times more likely to be busted for a petty crime than whites, which accounted for 12 percent of the low-level arrests.
More at:
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/12/cops_targeting_blacks_for_petty_crimes_a_shameless.html#incart_most-commented_entertainment
Cher