Understanding policing in the aftermath of gun violence: Examining investigatory stops and crime in Chicago
Abstract
I examine investigatory stops conducted by Chicago police officers following recent gun violence. I use a staggered difference-in-differences design to dynamically compare stops between neighboring police beats. In the immediate aftermath of gun violence, I find a rise in total stops that corresponds with a decline in index crime incidents and results in more seized weapons and/or contraband. Over the next month, officers continue to conduct additional stops, but these stops prove unproductive in yielding illicit goods, and seemingly have no impact on crime. Stops resulting in enforcement action persist three months after gun violence. Non-White stops in regions with considerable gang concentration account for much of the baseline rise in total stops.