Racism in the Rear View Mirror
The ACLU of Illinois released a new report – Racism in the Rear View Mirror – examining Illinois traffic stop data reported by law enforcement agencies across the state from 2015 to 2017. The report highlights significant racial disparities persist in traffic stops. For example, Black and Latinx drivers are more likely to be asked to consent to a search, but white drivers are more likely to be found with contraband during a consent search. The data used is collected as part of the Illinois Traffic and Pedestrian Stop Statistical Study Act, first championed by then-State Senator Barack Obama in 2003, and which is set to end in July 2019. The ACLU recommends that Illinois legislators recognize the value in transparent and comprehensive data on law enforcement practices and make this data collection permanent.