Police Violence against Chicago's Youth of Color

Abstract

Today, police violence continues to afflict communities of color throughout the United States. Instances of police violence reveal the underlying relationship between marginalized communities and the state. This is a relationship of unequal access to power and resources - a relationship where violence is used by the police to silence, isolate, control, and repress low-income people and young people of color in particular. This report calls to the attention of
the UN Committee Against Torture (Committee) the ongoing and pervasive violations of the Convention Against Torture (Convention) committed by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) against young people of color. Specifically, we focus on the CPD's acts (and failures to act) that violate Articles 2 and 10 to 14 of the Convention. At base, the CPD's conduct constitutes torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment (CIDT) as defined by the Convention, and occurs at extraordinary rates, disproportionately against minorities, and with impunity.