An interesting article from the Toronto Star. It would be interesting to know how widespread this is. It’s unfortunate to commonly hear the line “well if you have nothing to hide, why does it matter”. It matters because you have the rights, however how is that balanced? If you are a targeted community what are the long-term effects on youth? Do kids grow up feeling that they are always a target. The comment is often made because it does not affect the person making it. There is a failure to understand how an person feels on the other side of the fence.I would urge you to read Freakanomics. It’s an interesting take on what happens in certain conditions.
— Read more from the Toronto Star article below —
Young white males and those designated as “other” do attract police attention, but nothing as pronounced as black and brown youth.
Toronto police Chief Bill Blair dismisses the possibility that his officers, who are encouraged to stop, question and document citizens in all areas of the city as part of regular and targeted police work, may have documented all young black and brown men in certain areas.
“I can’t imagine that that’s true,” Blair said in an interview that stretched over two hours and included two deputy chiefs.
People come and go, he said, and citizens are documented in areas where they do not live, which indeed accounts for many of the cards filled out in certain neighbourhoods.
