Introduction

Robert Stolarik for The New York Times

The New York City Police Department’s policy of stopping and frisking thousands of people, mainly young black and Hispanic men, has come under increased attack. A federal judge in Manhattan granted class action status to a lawsuit over the practice and said she had troubling questions about its constitutionality, especially because in many cases there is no evidence of crime or cause for suspicion. Other judges have raised questions of its fairness. And Philadelphia has reduced its use of the tactic under a consent decree.

The tactic is definitely controversial. But does it work? Do stop-and-frisk policies lower crime, or are they counterproductive?