Snitches in the United States
Stop Snitching Campaign in relation to Crime and Race
Stop Snitching Campaign is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: A highly controversial yet understudied area on the dynamics of the relationship between the police and minority communities is the Stop Snitching Campaign. The Stop Snitching Campaign stands for an informal approach primarily used to deter young African American men and others from becoming snitches. The Stop Snitching Campaign is an example of the divisiveness between policing practices and community relations in minority communities. This section explores the polemics of the Stop Snitching Campaign and offers information on differing viewpoints of this social movement that was driven by the friction between race, crime, and justice in American minority communities. A snitch is the colloquial term for police informants, usually known criminals who have access to criminal groups and are able to observe illegal activities. Snitches are viewed differently from other community residents who witness illegal activities and report them to the police.
Resources
Notes and References
- Entry about Stop Snitching Campaign in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime