Matthew Woessner

Profiling, Cajun Style: Racial and Demographic Profiling in Louisiana's War on Drugs

Few topics are more sensitive to police and minority ethnic groups than racial profiling. Because this is a relatively new area of inquiry, researchers lack a comprehensive methodology for conducting inquiries into allegations of racial profiling. To date, most studies of profiling focus on alleged disparities between policing activities and aggregate population statistics. However, as a vast majority of this research cannot account for possible differences in group behaviour, it is impossible to conclude definitively that officers actually target minorities. By contrast, this study examines accusations of racial and demographic profiling by comparing arrest statistics between two overlapping police forces patrolling the same stretch of highway, during the same period of time. We theorise that the Louisiana State Police Criminal Patrol Unit (LSP-CPU) and certain deputies of the St Martin Parish Sheriffs Office (SMSO) conducted focused traffic stops on suspect populations in an effort to interdict drug trafficking along Interstate 10. Indeed, an examination of the arrest statistics between the CPU/SMSO and our baseline (Louisiana State Police Traffic Patrol) reveals dramatic discrepancies which are logically consistent with racial and demographic profiling on the part of the CPU/SMSO. Beyond its specific findings, the study provides a more reliable method by which researchers can assess accusations of profiling by other law enforcement agencies.

Teaching with SimCity: Using Sophisticated Gaming Simulations to Teach Concepts in Introductory American Government

One of the key challenges of teaching a college survey course such as introductory American government is the lack of interest on the part of students, many of whom take the course to satisfy a general-education requirement. Recognizing that young people are fascinated by video games, the author devised a governance simulation built on the popular computer game SimCity. Although the video-game industry designed these sophisticated simulations to be played by a single participant rather than a large group, the author created a simple set of rules that allows students to run them collectively. This article examines five factors for which an instructor must account if games such as SimCity are to have educational value. The author argues that, if conducted properly, this type of in-class exercise provides a fun and interesting way to teach students about the inherent challenges of governing in a democracy.

Diversifying the Academy: How Conservative Academics Can Thrive in Liberal Academia

Researchers have long recognized that higher education is dominated by professors whose politics are well to the left of the American political center. The cause and implications of this ideological imbalance have been intensely debated since the 1960s. Although critics of higher education, such as David Horowitz, argue that the political imbalance in academia is largely the result of ideological discrimination, emerging research on the views, values, and experiences of the professoriate tells a more complex story. Despite the relatively small numbers in the academy, the findings suggest that many conservative scholars can succeed in a predominantly liberal environment. Drawing on the latest research, as well as their own personal experience, the authors outline steps that conservative faculty can take to avoid needless political conflict and work happily in a profession largely dominated by the Left.

Technological Innovation and the Application of the Fourth Amendment Considering the Implications of Kyllo v. United States for Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism

In Kyllo vs. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of sensory-enhancing technology to see through traditional privacy barriers constituted an illegal search in violation of the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections. This article examines the history of Fourth Amendment applications involving the use of technology by government officials. The authors discuss the implications of Kyllo in light of emerging technologies available to the government as a means of gathering incriminating evidence against persons either engaging or conspiring to engage in criminal behavior. Ultimately, they argue that the Kyllo standard for the application of sensory-enhancing technology has important implications for the future of law enforcement and the ongoing fight against international terrorism.

Bridge Over the River Qua: Using Simulations to Span the Divide Between Prelaw and Political Science Students

ABSTRACT Undergraduate public law courses often attract students with competing expectations. Some students enroll in these courses to prepare for law school, while others enroll in the courses to gain a broader understanding of courts in the American system of government. These differing student constituencies can create a dilemma for instructors. A course designed to cater to students with a general interest in the judiciary may not afford prelaw students with an appreciation for the demands of the legal profession. Conversely, a course narrowly tailored toward prelaw students risks alienating the majority of students for whom this class may be their only look at the judiciary. As a means to promote pedagogical balance and to appeal to varied student constituencies, we profile five public law simulations in this article that engage students in active learning and promote a greater understanding of law and courts.