Coming of Age with Stop and Frisk: Experiences, Self-Perceptions, and Public Safety Implications

Amid the debate about stop and frisk in New York City, its relationship to reductions in crime, and concerns about racial profiling, one question has gone largely unexplored: How does being stopped by police, and the frequency of those stops, affect those who experience them at a young age? In New York City, at least half of all recorded stops annually involve those between the ages of 13 and 25.

This new study from Vera’s Center on Youth Justice examines this question. The results reveal a great deal about the experiences and perceptions of young New Yorkers who are most likely to be stopped. Trust in law enforcement among these young people is alarmingly low. This has significant public safety implications as young people who have been stopped more often are less willing to report crimes, even when they themselves are the victims.

The report includes a set of recommendations aimed at restoring trust and improving police-community relations. It also features the infographic below, which summarizes the findings.

Vera Institute of Justice is an Atlantic grantee.