New report shows minorities are targeted vehicle stops

Rhode Island – A new report on traffic stops in Rhode Island shows that minorities are more likely to be stopped by the police than whites in most communities , but are less likely to be fined. Northeastern University researchers reviewed nearly 154,000 traffic stops made ​​by 39 law enforcement agencies last year between January 1 and September 30

The study found that 77 % of the stops  involved white drivers , 11%  Hispanic drivers, nearly 10 %  black drivers, and 2% were Asian / Pacific Islander . But when the race of drivers was compared with the racial composition of the community where they were stopped , the researchers found that minorities were stopped at a disproportionate rate. When compared to the latest study on traffic stops in 2004-2005 , disparities increased and decreased in 17 out of 20 communities.