Unfortunately, they are. Other studies bare out the NAACP's fear about the danger of red-light camera enforcement and racial profiling. The most comprehensive of these studies was conducted and widely publicized several years earlier. The study examined red light camera enforcement in Chicago. The findings were published in Police Quarterly. The study specifically wanted to test the widely held public assumption and belief that cameras are race neutral and could not possibly be used to racially profile.
The study found that the cameras were anything but race neutral. Though race had nothing to-do with who was likely to run red lights, African American and Hispanic motorists still were disproportionately photo'd and cited. The cameras were more likely to be placed in low-income minority areas than in other areas.
Though the study did not note this, there was another plausible reason for the greater proportion of Blacks and Browns cited. Camera photos are reviewed by traffic monitors who determine whether a citation should be issued. This takes the camera photo out of the realm of neutrality, and it becomes a subjective call since some of the red-light runs are close judgement calls.
There is more. Once an offender appears in court. The human factor again enters the picture. The judge has the discretion to dismiss or not a ticket often with no explanation. That's what happened in my case.
However, that is certainly far from the case with most offenders. Red light cameras can produce much revenue for municipalities. Hard dollars, not just safety, is a prime reason they are still around. The problem as is the case in South L.A. the ones hit the hardest with them remain Black and Hispanic motorists. Put bluntly, they are victims of photo'd driving while Black or Brown.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is the host of the weekly Earl Ofari Hutchinson Show from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network. He is the publisher of thehutchinsonreport.net
(Article changed on Jun 09, 2024 at 2:14 PM EDT)
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