Originally published by WYPR.
A new study released by Johns Hopkins University found that the ‘Ferguson Effect’ may be a myth. The term was first used by FBI director James Comey to describe what he says is a link between increased crime rates and heightened police scrutiny following protests sparked by officer-involved shootings of black people in places like Ferguson MO., Chicago and Baltimore.
Crime rates across the board shot up dramatically in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray. However, arrests rates fell 30 percent, according to the study. Community members and law enforcement officials haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause for the spike, but theories, including the Ferguson Effect, have been mentioned. Professor Stephen Morgan joins Tom in-studio to discuss the study’s findings and the significance of crime and arrests rates in Baltimore.