| Abstrakt: |
Traffic stops are the most common way in which a person comes in contact with the Police, yet these interactions are often riddled with uncertainty both on behalf of citizens and Police. During a stop, it is typically assumed that the Police officer will approach the vehicle. However, only in Alachua County, Florida, the citizen is expected to exit their vehicle and approach the Sheriff patrol car when stopped. This reduces the uncertainty in the traffic confrontation by removing the citizen from their comfort zone and offering Police a better line of vision. However, at the same time this limits the ability of Police to conduct pretext stops that result in the uncovering of illicit materials. We compile a unique data set containing the traffic stop procedures of every county in Florida and examine their effect on citations, drug arrests and weapons arrests, finding that encounters with reduced uncertainty are more likely to result in traffic citations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
