Research has shown that more young black men were searched in New York City than the total number of young African-American males residing in the area. The NYPD claims that the frisks are important to keep armed crime down in urban areas. In 2011, 96 percent of shooting incidents involved blacks or Latinos. Reuters reports:

The New York Police Department performed more frisk searches of young black men in 2011 than the total number of young black men living in New York City, according to a new analysis of the department’s controversial stop and frisk program.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), a prominent rights group, charged on Wednesday that the program disproportionately targets minorities, particularly young black and Latino men.

Last year the department performed 168,126 on-the-spot searches of black men aged 14 to 24 out of a total population of 158,406, according to an NYCLU analysis of departmental statistics.

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