On the relationship between social disorganization and police coercive action(s) in the New York City Police Department

Publication Date

1-1-2021

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Police Practice and Research

Volume

22

Issue

1

DOI

10.1080/15614263.2019.1668788

First Page

1095

Last Page

1114

Abstract

This study applies indicators of social disorganization theory (i.e., concentrated disadvantage, residential instability, and concentrated immigration) to predict officers’ use of coercive action during street stops of citizens suspected of criminal activity. It also investigates whether concentrated disadvantage moderates suspects’ likelihood of receiving greater levels of police coercive actions when stopped for reasons listed in the New York City Police Department’s Unified Form 250 (UF-250). Results from multilevel analyses of stop incidents nested within neighborhoods confirm that certain indicators of social disorganization are associated with officer use of coercive action. Further, suspects stopped in areas marked by concentrated disadvantage are less likely to receive higher levels of police coercive action. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are presented.

Keywords

concentrated disadvantage, Neighborhood disorganization, New York City Police Department, stop and frisk

Department

Justice Studies

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