Driving While Black or Brown: Methodological Approaches and Challenges to assessing racial bias in traffic stops

Substantial research and court testimony indicate that Black and Brown drivers are disproportionately subjected to traffic stops and subsequent searches compared to White drivers. Yet efforts to quantify and document such inequities have faced considerable scrutiny and challenges from the press, law enforcement agencies, attorneys, judges, and other stakeholders.

A variety of approaches have been implemented from state to state, but there is currently no “gold standard” by which to validate claims of bias. This interdisciplinary panel will discuss current approaches, as well as efforts to improve and validate methods for measuring driving populations and racial disparities.

We will also address the challenges and successes associated with providing this evidence in court cases and with police departments in Massachusetts and across the United States.