Word last Friday that the number of "stop-and-frisk" incidents in New York City dropped by more than 30% in the second quarter of 2012 (see chart here) suggests that the attention and activism opposing the practice is having an impact -or at least a relative impact. According to NYPD chief spokesman, Paul Browne, there were 203,500 stops in January, February and March this year, and only 133,934 in April, May and June.
New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly insists that the drop is actually the result of changes to the Operation Impact program. Operation Impact involves sending extra police to high crime neighborhoods with the expectation that increased policing (often in the form of stop-and-frisk) will lead to decreased crime.
But anecdotal reports from police (see the NYTimes link above, or WNYC reporting here) describe a change in regard for the practice throughout the NYPD -not necessarily sympathetic to complaints, but aware of a sudden drop in priority of the tactic, as well as potential legal risk.
The thing to look for next will be whether there is a corresponding rise in crime that would been prevented by stops. So far there's no indication of such a correspondence. In fact, the lack of correlation between crime, particularly murders and gun crimes, and stops has been at the root of criticism of stop-and-frisk (pdf) (along with the racial disparity (pdf)). Last month WNYC raised eyebrows with the map below, showing the locations of stops and the locations of recovered guns. The locations of the stops are very specific and no-doubt align with the targets of Operaion Impact, but they plainly don't align with getting guns off the streets.
While I'm on the subject of stop-and-frisk, I'd like to point out that our recent segment with Melissa Harris-Perry on this subject included footage from All Things Harlem, for which we are very appreciative.
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this has nothing do do with the above...just something interesting I came across:
Frank William "Bill" Gay, the Mormon who formed the Mormon Mafia which kept Howard Hughes secluded and drugged up and positioned himself as the lead of Hughes's vast empire, his son was the managing director of Bain Capitol for 16 years!
Rachel,
I told my wife you would geek me tonite. How good was Curiosiity??
That guy at NASA was perfect. But also the segment before. My wife went to Wheaton.
Makes perfect sense. The religious studies which she now has abandoned in favor of a world view thanks to me her crazed/absurd hubby was wonderful.
We both Love you and wish the best. Ballard and Larry
I've been hoarding old data. A few web demographic and crime statistic maps... just in case it matters, for any future discussions, for any real solutions.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/28/nyregion/28homicide-graphic.gif
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/23/nyregion/20110123-nyc-ethnic-neighborhoods-map.html
See any familiar patterns?
When we're ready to acknowledge all parts of a problem, maybe then we can introduce economic disparities as a causation and ways communities can overcome it.
I seem to remember that chief among the grievances of the colonists was the manner in which British troops could and would stop and search colonists at anytime without probable cause.Of course the right would love to rewrite history so this is probably one thing they and others would change 180 degrees.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary
Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Ben. Frankiln
Tell that to the urban school districts and neighborhoods. Or is it "Beware the midnight hour." Exactly what time of day do these frisks tend to happen anyway? Anyone got any clue?
People are correct that reasonable suspicion policy should be guiding these efforts. Recent NYC reporting says 30% of stop and frisk officer reports were lacking cause by any clear suspicion, (though I could not confirm that directly). If that is correct, are we still personally offended by the remaining 70%?