Spotlight on Policing: Despite the end of stop-and-frisk, Black New Yorkers continue to be over-policed
Following mass protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, state legislatures have introduced more than one hundred bills and resolutions regulating police. Many jurisdictions have announced plans to entirely restructure their police departments and to move towards community-based public safety programs. Despite efforts to reduce discriminatory policing practices in New York City, the Poverty Tracker shows that Black people in the city continue to experience high rates of police contact.
Using Poverty Tracker data, we find that Black New Yorkers are twice as likely as White New Yorkers to report that they or someone in their household was stopped by the police over the course of one year and that a third of Black New Yorkers or their household members are stopped by the police over 36 months. In general, New Yorkers living in higher-poverty zip codes report more stops, but race remains the salient factor for Black and Hispanic New Yorkers as they report similar levels of stops regardless of neighborhood poverty-level.
As advocates across the country call for a reimagining of public institutions, policing practices, and the justice system, as well as for public decision-makers to invest in public safety through mental health services, affordable housing, and employment opportunities, we will use the Poverty Tracker to monitor how these policy changes impact communities on the ground.
The Poverty Tracker is a longitudinal study of the dynamics of poverty and disadvantage in New York City. It is a joint project of Robin Hood and Columbia University.