For the past several years, the NYPD has been at the center of a controversy because of their Stop-and-Frisk policy and practices. Critics say that Stop-and-Frisks unjustly target communities of color and produce very little results (drugs, weapons, arrests). The NYPD maintains that these practices only occur in “high crime areas” and are a method of proactive policing. Most statistics agree that crime rates are at their lowest in years. For your final media review, we will be discussing a video we viewed in class. This time, keep in mind the following questions:

Making reference to Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow and other readings, discuss the following video. Here are some questions to keep in mind: Is this an effective model of urban policing (remember: NYC has 8 million people)? If yes, how so? If no, why not? Is this an instance of institutionalized racism through racial profiling and a violation of citizens’ fourth amendment rights? If yes, how so? If no, why not?

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