Lia Du
Pronouns:
Research Mentor(s): Nick Camp
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Organizational Studies / LSA
Program:
Authors: Lia Du, Nicholas Camp
Session: Session 6: 3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Poster: 48
Abstract
Traffic stops are frequent encounters between law enforcement and citizens, yet they often result in vastly different experiences based on race. Black individuals report more intrusive and disrespectful interactions with law enforcement compared to white individuals, leading to concerns about physical safety and declining trust in the police. This project uses body camera recordings to capture racial disparities in officer communication, as well as their disparate consequences for community trust and health. This project consists of three studies. The first study examines racial disparities in officer communication in recordings of traffic stops of Black and White men. The second study delves into the physiological and psychological effects of police encounters by monitoring participants’ physiological stress responses while listening to BWC recordings of traffic stops. A third experiment combines these elements to capture how these disparities are connected. As this project sits between the intersection of racial inequality, criminal justice, and community health, we hope to bridge the gap between these areas, our project aims to explore and shed light on the racial disparities in perceptions and experiences of traffic stops using police body-worn camera (BWC) footage and understand how these encounters impact community trust and health, particularly among Black individuals.
