Let’s talk about Boston

According to the 2010 census, 617,594 people live in Boston.

Of those, 47% are white.

24.4% are black.

and 28.8% are other people of color.

As you can see, the city is racially segregated.

Using data from the City of Boston’s open data portal, combined with census data showing racial segregation, we are able to show where Boston police officers perform stop and frisks and fight the war on drugs.

This is where police perform stop and frisks.

This is where police perform drug investigations.

And this is where police make drug arrests.

Do you notice a pattern?

White

People of Color

White

People of Color

See more

• Do white people sell or use drugs at lower rates than people of color?
• What explains racial disparities in drug policing?
• Are Boston drug arrests uniquely racially disparate?
• Do other racial disparities exist in the system?