When Law and Order Works: Boston's Innovative Approach to the Problem of Racial Violence

Abstract

Racial and ethnic violence continues to be a major problem in the United States. Boston, which experienced hightened racial turmoil since its desegregation process, presents an excellent case study of a police department that faced the problem in a straightforward manner. Traditional methods of classifying and investigating racial incidents were viewed as ineffective. The Boston Police Department developed an innovative approach to the handling of racially motivated crime, which involved implementing a departmentwide policy and creating a specialized police unit. This unit was highly successful in uncovering incidents that under traditional reporting methods appeared commonplace. Upon further examination, these incidents, taken together, indicated persistent and compelling patterns of racial animus. The uncovering of these incidents, the subsequent relabeling of them into “community disorders,” and the development of innovative strategies are described. Policy implications and recommendations are presented. Critics may question the allocation of police resources to a problem that on the surface may appear minor. However, racial violence viewed in the aggregate form has dramatic impact on the quality of life for the victim. A police department that recognizes the significance of this problem is making an important statement about the kind of society we are and what we as a nation stand for.