Racism In American Law Enforcement: A Brief History, Critique, and Data-Based Solutions

Abstract

The history of American law enforcement from the 1700s through the Jim Crow period is examined and tied to the Thirteenth Amendment's empowerement of the legal re-enslavement of people of color in this piece, with the purpose of uncovering racism and racial disparities in modern-day American law enforcement. This discussion leads to a broader examination of racism and racial disparities in American law enforcement historically and in modernity. Research conducted by Stanford University based on the Oakland Police Department's 2014 stop and search data is referenced to localize and modernize the issue of racial disparities in law enforcement. This piece concisely outlines the issue of racial disparities in American law enforcement, and provides an examination of a solution - data-informed policy.