Unequal Enforcement of Social Distancing

To better understand the disproportionate impacts of the NYPD’s COVID-19 related enforcement, the Legal Aid Society analyzed social distancing complaints made through 311 between March 28 and May 12, COVID-19 related summonses reported by the NYPD between March 16 and May 5, and internally-tracked COVID-19 related arrests that took place between March 27 and May 2. Read the full report.

Interactive Maps

Click below to view our interactive maps which plot 311 calls and summonses/arrests.

          

Summary of Findings

• Of the 32,293 social distancing 311 complaints analyzed by the Legal Aid Society, slightly less than half (46.2%) of the complaints concerned violations in majority Black and Latino precincts.
• Four of the five precincts that received the most social distancing complaints through 311 were in neighborhoods that are not majority Black or Latino.
• Four of the five precincts with the most COVID-19 related arrests and summonses for which the Legal Aid Society was able to identify a precinct were in neighborhoods that are majority Black or Latino.
• 78.9% of COVID-19 related summonses and 74.1% of COVID-19 related arrests for which the Legal Aid Society was able to identify a precinct occurred in majority Black or Latino precincts.
• 18 of the 20 precincts with the highest rates of known COVID-19 related arrests or summonses per 10,000 people occurred in majority Black or Latino precincts.
• Over the time period reviewed, NYPD responses to 311 complaints for social distancing violations were considerably more likely to result in a summons or arrest in majority Black or Latino precincts.