Why redefining racism as behavior could make it a solvable problem
In short: We often treat racism as an unchangeable defect of character or a hidden feeling. But what if we viewed it instead as a measurable pattern of actions? By shifting our focus to observable behaviors, justice scientist Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff suggests we can finally begin to diagnose and eliminate racial disparities in policing.
For centuries, racial inequity has been viewed as an intractable issue rooted in deep-seated prejudice. However, Dr. Phillip Atiba Solomon, a psychologist and president of the Center for Policing Equity (CPE), proposes a fundamental shift in perspective. He argues that if we stop defining racism solely as an internal feeling and start defining it as a pattern of behaviors, the problem moves from being an impossible mystery to a solvable, measurable challenge. This transformative vision is supported by the Audacious Project, a TED initiative designed to fund and inspire significant global progress.
This approach relies on identifying the cognitive mechanisms that drive disparate outcomes. Dr. Solomon’s research has exposed how implicit associations between Blackness and crime can lead to lethal consequences. One particularly disturbing finding is a widespread cognitive error in the U.S. where people overestimate the age of Black children. This specific bias is a significant predictor of higher levels of police force being used against those children. As a professor and mediator, Solomon uses his expertise to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
To address these gaps, the CPE utilizes a data-driven strategy. The organization manages the National Justice Database, which is the world's largest collection of police behavioral data. Funded by the National Science Foundation, this database allows researchers to use scientific analysis to diagnose the roots of inequitable policing. By tracking these racial gaps through empirical evidence, the goal is to provide law enforcement with the tools necessary to create more equitable and less deadly public safety outcomes. The center functions as a prominent university research and action think tank. Through the National Justice Database, the CPE employs scientific analyses to reduce the burden of inequitable policing practices.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How we can make racism a solvable problem -- and improve policing | Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff
- Also: Dr. Phillip Atiba Solomon | Speaker | TED
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