2024/06/05 by Jordan Wylie, Katlyn Lee Milless, John Sciarappo +1 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Judicial and Constitutional Studies #Law, Rights, and Freedoms #Legal and Constitutional Studies
paper · doi:10.1177/01461672241252853
openalex publication_date 2024/06/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
We examined whether the enforcement of phantom rules—frequently broken and rarely enforced codified rules—varies by the race of the rule breaker. First, we analyzed whether race affects when 311 calls, a nonemergency service, end in arrest in New York City. Across 10 years, we found that calls from census blocks of neighborhoods consisting of mostly White individuals were 65% less likely to escalate to arrest than those where White people were the numerical minority. Next, we experimentally manipulated transgressor race and found that participants ( N = 393) who were high in social dominance orientation were more likely to route 311 calls to 911 when the transgressor was Black (vs. White). We also explored the subjective experience of phantom rule enforcement; People of color report they are more likely to be punished for violating phantom rules compared to White people. Overall, we find evidence of racism in the enforcement of phantom rules.