Researching the Influence of Race on Public Policy: A Panel Discussion

Authors: Tashi McQueen and Madeline Seck
AFRO Political Writer and AFRO Intern

During the 2024 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) convention in Baltimore on June 21, panelists discussed the importance of research on racial influences in shaping public policy, especially during election season.

The panel was attended by, among others: Major Neill Franklin (retired), treasurer of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership; Captain Sonia Y. W. Pruitt (retired) of the Montgomery County Police Department, Maryland; Jiles H. Ship, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives New Jersey; and Special Agent in Charge Trevor Velinor (Retired), Commissioner of Police, United States Virgin Islands Police Department.

Racial impact testing is a technique the government can use to see how a particular policy or budget measure will affect different racial groups.

“I work very closely with the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus and many other state legislators in the state of New Jersey. I will tell you that when legislation is passed and we are not at the table, we are probably on the menu. You have to be at the table,” Ship said. “One of the things we have been able to do in New Jersey is that any public safety legislation that comes forward has to have a racial impact study before the governor signs any of the reports.”

On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. This order strengthened preventive measures to ensure that laws are created with equal opportunity and equity for all.

“Who gets elected to office determines what policies will impact you and your daily life,” Jiles said, emphasizing the importance of turning out to vote. “The decisions being made today on the U.S. Supreme Court will impact the daily lives of everyone in this courtroom.”

State Senator Jill P. Carter (Democrat-Maryland-41) also attended and later spoke before AFRO about the use of racial equity research in Maryland and its effectiveness in creating inclusive legislation.

Since 2021, the Maryland General Assembly has passed a requirement for racial equity impact memos to reduce racial discrimination and inequality on significant criminal justice bills coming before the Legislature.

“It happened around the time that the whole country was obviously waking up to the issue of racial inequality in this country, it happened around the time of George Floyd’s death,” Carter said. “The senators and the Senate president met and we all discussed how we can make this a more racially balanced place. One suggestion was to include a racial impact note in every piece of legislation.”

Carter explained how racial equity impact notes supported her legislative efforts.

“Of course, a lot of times, a lot of people want to say that issues don’t have a racial impact and that some black people just think that they have a different impact on the black community,” Carter said. “That helps us legitimize our arguments and helps us use data to show what percentage of black people are affected by a piece of legislation.

“I believe that every legislative body should conduct a racial impact study and record every major piece of legislation,” Carter continued.

While state and local legislatures are working to consider how legislation they pass will impact the Black community, Jiles encourages African Americans to do everything they can to ensure Black people have the opportunity to voice their opinions in public policy.

“People come to us all the time and complain about law enforcement and agency policies. The first question I asked them was: When was the last time you were at a council meeting when they were deciding what this policy would be?” Jiles said. “Do you know who your state representative is?”

He also encouraged Black Press to help reach African Americans with the truth about policymaking, especially those that will directly impact the black community.