Author

Andre Spence

Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

12-2021

School/College

Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs (SOPA)

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Administration of Justice

Committee Chairperson

Ashraf Mozayani

Committee Member 1

David Baker

Committee Member 2

Robert Mupier

Committee Member 3

Glenn Johnson

Keywords

Arrest Disparities, Campus Crime, Campus Police, Marijuana

Abstract

This study examined on-campus drug arrests made in 2018 and 2019 at 20 non-minority serving and minority serving institutions located in Texas. The on-campus drug arrest data included a total of 1693 possession of marijuana arrests. The purpose of the study was to determine if racial arrest disparities existed among Blacks and Whites arrested for possession of marijuana on college campuses in Texas. Furthermore, the study employed the racial threat theory to determine if the racial composition of the neighborhood a college is located in influenced the percentage of Black arrests for possession of marijuana. Results revealed that Blacks were more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana at non-minority serving institutions than at minority serving institutions. Interestingly, Blacks were more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana at a majority of the colleges included in the study. Subsequent examination of this result revealed that Blacks were 2 to 30 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana at college campuses in Texas. Conclusively, the study found support for the racial threat theory. Findings indicated that as the percentage of Black residents increased so did Black arrest percentages for possession of marijuana. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed.

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