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University of Minnesota Bans Use of Race in Crime Suspect Descriptions
The University of Minnesota has banned the use of race when describing crime suspects when only a “limited” amount of information is known about them. Specifically, if the race of the suspect is known, but some other identifiable traits are not, the college will not release the race of the criminal.
The college uses “Crime Alerts” to warn students of suspects or criminals who may endanger them. However, over the course of several months, the university has looked into how to improve the system. The solution that they announced yesterday: you can no longer identify a suspect using his race if not much is known about him or her.
The University of Minnesota’s President, Eric Kaler, explained that their “Crime Alerts may unintentionally reinforce racist stereotypes of Black men, and other people of color, as criminals and threats.
“That in turn,” he continued, “can create an oppressive climate for some members of our community, a climate of suspicion and hostility.”
University of Minnesota
He then claimed that using less descriptions for suspects will somehow help keep students safe on campus, explaining, “This new approach advances public safety while recognizing the harm caused by using race in otherwise limited suspect descriptions.”
The Vice President of the college further explained in an email, “To address this complex issue, we are changing our approach on the use of suspect descriptions in Crime Alerts. Moving forward,” she continued, “the University will only use a suspect description when there is sufficient detail that would help identify a specific individual or group. This is a change from current practice, which is to include a suspect description regardless of the level of detail provided.”
The University of Minnesota has banned the use of race when describing crime suspects when only a “limited” amount of information is known about them. Specifically, if the race of the suspect is known, but some other identifiable traits are not, the college will not release the race of the criminal.
The college uses “Crime Alerts” to warn students of suspects or criminals who may endanger them. However, over the course of several months, the university has looked into how to improve the system. The solution that they announced yesterday: you can no longer identify a suspect using his race if not much is known about him or her.
The University of Minnesota’s President, Eric Kaler, explained that their “Crime Alerts may unintentionally reinforce racist stereotypes of Black men, and other people of color, as criminals and threats.
“That in turn,” he continued, “can create an oppressive climate for some members of our community, a climate of suspicion and hostility.”
University of Minnesota
He then claimed that using less descriptions for suspects will somehow help keep students safe on campus, explaining, “This new approach advances public safety while recognizing the harm caused by using race in otherwise limited suspect descriptions.”
The Vice President of the college further explained in an email, “To address this complex issue, we are changing our approach on the use of suspect descriptions in Crime Alerts. Moving forward,” she continued, “the University will only use a suspect description when there is sufficient detail that would help identify a specific individual or group. This is a change from current practice, which is to include a suspect description regardless of the level of detail provided.”
