Few topics divide blacks and whites more than those related to law enforcement. Nathaniel Jones, a federal appeals court judge in Cincinnati, has studied the relationship between African-Americans and police for years. He was a civil rights lawyer in the 1960s and worked with a federal commission on civil unrest.

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        Judge Jones says racism is part of the problem. But he says simple misunderstandings -- on the part of blacks and whites -- are also to blame for the tension that exists today. Judge Jones spoke with Enquirer reporter Dan Horn.

        QUESTION: Why do so many African-Americans feel police treat them differently than whites?

        ANSWER: Whites don't see a problem because they aren't stopped (by police) in nearly the same numbers because of their race. They don't see it. It's hidden from them.

        Let's face it. Let me take this suit off, put on a T-shirt and walk down the street in a city where I'm not known. It's likely my experience with authorities in that community will be different than here. My color precedes me. It dominates.

        Q: Some police say negative attitudes toward them are so prevalent that African-Americans sometimes see a racial problem where there may not really be one. Do you agree?

        A: There is a higher degree of sensitivity, and I'd say even paranoia, on the part of people who have been victimized and feel powerless. They have issues with those in power. I think white officers are seen as protecting the status quo that locks out the poor, the unemployed, the dispossessed.

        What happened here (during Cincinnati's riots) was not so much a case of people reacting against whites, as people reacting against blue.

        Q: Why do whites and blacks differ so greatly on the question of whether police treat them with respect?

        A: The term respect has different meanings for different people. . . . Everybody brings a set of experiences to an encounter. A white citizen may come from a set of experiences where they may view (a traffic stop) or a series of questions as nonthreatening. Where a person who comes from the black experience, who has had negative experiences, would view an approach as negative.

        Q: What do African-Americans want to see change in law enforcement?         A: A very hard, rigid law enforcement mentality plays out in this county. . . . On one hand people want to feel protected, but when they turn to law enforcement, they want to see it as free as possible of excessive force. They want law enforcement with respect. They want an evenhandedness about it.

        Q: Are race relations in general -- and relations with police specifically -- getting better or worse?

        A: Everyone wants instant change, instant reform. We're talking about things that have been going on for 200 years.

        It's considered vogue to say things are worse than 30 years ago. That comes from people who don't know what it was like 30 years ago. It's important to recognize how much change there has been.

        We fail to accentuate the positive so people will not labor under the notion that nothing is better and nothing has changed. I think (race relations) are better. In many respects, a lot of things are better.

ONLINE EXTRA: Complete poll results and PDF of the report
Respect at core of police debate
People want safety, but with respect
Contact can ease suspicion
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About this series
How this poll was done