Sept. 28 - One Book Talk with Kim Forde-Mazrui: Constitutional Law & Racial Policing
One Book Talk with Kim Forde-Mazrui:
Constitutional Law & Racial Policing
Monday, September 28 12:00pm
Would you like to know more about what constitutional provisions
are in place to prevent racially discriminatory policing? Would you like to get
a better understanding of how they fail to do so?
Join us, Monday, September 28, 2020 at noon for
a virtual talk by Kim Forde-Mazrui, Mortimer M. Caplin Professor of Law,
Director, Center for the Study of Race and Law, School of Law, University of
Virginia.
Fair and equal policing is, in theory, ensured by three
constitutional provisions. First, the Due Process Clause requires legislatures
to define crimes with precise language to inform police of whom they may
investigate. Second, the Fourth Amendment requires police to have reasonable
suspicion that a suspect has violated or will violate the criminal law before
searching or arresting the suspect. Third, the Equal Protection Clause
prohibits police from enforcing the law in a racially discriminatory manner.
Despite
their promise, these constitutional provisions do not prevent racially
discriminatory policing. Legislatures continue to criminalize behavior that
enables police to investigate whomever they want. The Fourth Amendment places
virtually no limit on whom police can search and arrest. And the Equal
Protection Clause fails to prevent police from discriminating on the basis of
race.
This talk will explain the promises and failures of
constitutional law, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, to ensure fair and
equal policing. The talk will also offer some suggestions for how more
even-handed policing could be achieved.
Register in advance for this webinar at: https://vccs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_owkprJ7_SF2xL66sJFQ0pA