The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that affect an officer’s decision to initiate a stop-and-frisk procedure. The primary objective of this study is to rank-order the typical reasons that were reported by police officers and that were deterministic on initiating a police stop procedure. The second objective of this research is to test whether there is empirical evidence suggesting racialised policing. The analyses are based on data that were originally collected and archived by the New York Police Department on stop-and-frisk police practices in 2006. The analyses in this study show that the top five highest rank-ordered reasons for initiating a police stop were high-crime area, time of day fits the crime incident, fugitive movements by the suspects, casing a victim or location, and proximity to a crime scene. Factors that influenced an officer’s decision to frisk the suspect after the initial stop were suspect’s gender, followed by suspect’s physical proximity to the crime scene, suspect’s evasive responses to questions and race.
Latest News
Doctoral and Early Career Training School 'Researching the Experiences of Police Stops' - Call for Expressions of Interest
We are beginning to learn more about the practice of stops and searches conducted in public spaces by police officers.…
Read moreIdentifying and tackling problematic or abusive forms of police selectivity.
An action research on the problematic practices and/or mechanisms of police district of Schaerbeek-Evere-St-Josse (PolBruNo). Carroll Tange and Sarah Van…
Read moreGeorge Floyd
Watching a police officer murder a man in full view is horrifying. We feel suffocated watching it – but it…
Read morePolstops partners at the ESC2019
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about Polstops at the European Society of Criminology! Megan O’Neill will be chairing…
Read moreWould you like to know more?
Contact UsWant to take part of this Action?
How to join
COST Action COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.
Know more +