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Ticketing their own

About half the towns in Massachusetts write traffic tickets to their own minority residents in greater proportions than their share of the driving-age population of the town. This chart ranks towns by that disparity. A disparity of 1, as in Holliston (ranked No. 121), shows an equal distribution of minorities among the ticketed and the general population.

Note: Includes only towns that wrote at least 100 tickets to town residents.

Source: Boston Globe analysis of all traffic tickets in Massachusetts, April 2001 through November 2002. Population figures from Speed Trap.

Rank Town Tickets to minorities Minority population Disparity Whites ticketed Minorities ticketed Total tickets
1 Maynard 23.6% 5.6% 4.2 236 73 309
2 West Bridgewater 10.0% 3.5% 2.8 90 10 100
3 Marlborough 36.3% 13.7% 2.6 1,377 783 2,160
4 Orleans 6.3% 2.6% 2.4 148 10 158
5 Webster 12.7% 5.6% 2.3 199 29 228
6 Wrentham 5.5% 2.4% 2.3 104 6 110
7 Littleton 8.1% 3.6% 2.2 125 11 136
8 Montague 10.2% 4.6% 2.2 123 14 137
9 Adams 4.0% 1.8% 2.2 170 7 177
10 Methuen 26.3% 11.9% 2.2 575 205 780
11 Harwich 10.0% 4.6% 2.2 297 33 330
12 Orange 6.8% 3.2% 2.1 110 8 118
13 Fitchburg 40.1% 19.1% 2.1 632 423 1,055
14 Salem 29.6% 14.2% 2.1 817 343 1,160
15 Mashpee 18.7% 9.1% 2.0 218 50 268
16 Leominster 31.2% 15.6% 2.0 753 341 1,094
17 Sutton 4.0% 2.0% 2.0 97 4 101
18 Milford 15.9% 8.2% 1.9 349 66 415
19 Tisbury 18.9% 9.7% 1.9 120 28 148
20 Yarmouth 8.6% 4.5% 1.9 617 58 675
21 Medway 5.4% 2.8% 1.9 159 9 168
22 Falmouth 12.1% 6.6% 1.9 1,042 144 1,186
23 Watertown 17.6% 9.6% 1.8 1,340 287 1,627
24 Wellfleet 6.3% 3.4% 1.8 120 8 128
25 Northborough 13.0% 7.3% 1.8 181 27 208
26 North Adams 8.5% 4.7% 1.8 433 40 473
27 Raynham 5.9% 3.3% 1.8 96 6 102
28 Foxborough 5.6% 3.1% 1.8 136 8 144
29 Arlington 15.9% 9.1% 1.7 370 70 440
30 Canton 12.6% 7.3% 1.7 278 40 318
31 Gloucester 5.4% 3.2% 1.7 608 35 643
32 Haverhill 19.1% 11.3% 1.7 1,168 275 1,443
33 Pittsfield 11.3% 6.8% 1.7 1,241 158 1,399
34 Worcester 40.1% 24.3% 1.7 3,712 2,488 6,200
35 Lowell 52.3% 31.8% 1.6 1,523 1,671 3,194
36 Lynn 51.3% 31.4% 1.6 2,844 2,998 5,842
37 Dudley 5.8% 3.6% 1.6 131 8 139
38 Waltham 31.2% 19.6% 1.6 1,106 501 1,607
39 Framingham 35.5% 22.3% 1.6 1,163 639 1,802
40 Barnstable 12.6% 8.0% 1.6 2,407 346 2,753
41 Athol 5.5% 3.5% 1.6 260 15 275
42 Ware 5.3% 3.4% 1.6 342 19 361
43 Westminster 4.6% 3.0% 1.6 104 5 109
44 Swampscott 4.5% 2.9% 1.6 128 6 134
45 Stoughton 17.6% 11.3% 1.6 416 89 505
46 Boston 69.0% 44.6% 1.5 10,398 23,197 33,595
47 Weymouth 8.3% 5.4% 1.5 1,315 119 1,434
48 Holden 4.0% 2.6% 1.5 315 13 328
49 Ashland 14.0% 9.2% 1.5 117 19 136
50 Brockton 54.8% 36.0% 1.5 2,276 2,759 5,035
51 Dedham 9.1% 6.0% 1.5 310 31 341
52 Nantucket 21.7% 14.2% 1.5 322 89 411
53 Leicester 6.1% 4.1% 1.5 230 15 245
54 Springfield 65.3% 43.8% 1.5 2,944 5,549 8,493
55 Lexington 19.1% 12.8% 1.5 394 93 487
56 Belmont 13.1% 8.8% 1.5 410 62 472
57 Wareham 17.1% 11.8% 1.4 544 112 656
58 Peabody 9.5% 6.6% 1.4 1,475 155 1,630
59 Westford 9.0% 6.4% 1.4 514 51 565
60 Beverly 6.2% 4.4% 1.4 707 47 754
61 Milton 19.7% 14.0% 1.4 126 31 157
62 Millis 4.6% 3.3% 1.4 104 5 109
63 Lawrence 83.7% 59.8% 1.4 735 3,778 4,513
64 Norwood 13.1% 9.3% 1.4 446 67 513
65 Sudbury 8.4% 6.1% 1.4 305 28 333
66 Dennis 6.9% 5.0% 1.4 636 47 683
67 Amesbury 3.7% 2.7% 1.4 759 29 788
68 New Bedford 28.9% 21.1% 1.4 2,146 874 3,020
69 Holyoke 49.3% 36.5% 1.4 712 692 1,404
70 Mattapoisett 4.8% 3.6% 1.3 118 6 124
71 Shrewsbury 14.7% 11.0% 1.3 622 107 729
72 Randolph 46.0% 34.3% 1.3 450 383 833
73 Abington 3.4% 2.6% 1.3 168 6 174
74 Westborough 17.4% 13.0% 1.3 299 63 362
75 Winthrop 8.3% 6.2% 1.3 297 27 324
76 Chelmsford 9.1% 6.9% 1.3 311 31 342
77 Lenox 4.4% 3.4% 1.3 152 7 159
78 West Springfield 12.8% 9.8% 1.3 287 42 329
79 Hudson 9.5% 7.4% 1.3 364 38 402
80 Acton 14.9% 11.7% 1.3 274 48 322
81 Marshfield 3.2% 2.5% 1.3 787 26 813
82 Chatham 5.1% 4.0% 1.3 222 12 234
83 Marblehead 3.2% 2.5% 1.3 244 8 252
84 Bellingham 4.3% 3.4% 1.3 308 14 322
85 Clinton 17.8% 14.2% 1.3 129 28 157
86 Seekonk 4.3% 3.4% 1.3 355 16 371
87 Amherst 26.5% 21.5% 1.2 308 111 419
88 Wayland 9.6% 7.8% 1.2 103 11 114
89 Cambridge 40.2% 32.7% 1.2 720 484 1,204
90 Medford 16.5% 13.5% 1.2 683 135 818
91 Duxbury 3.0% 2.5% 1.2 260 8 268
92 Rockland 6.2% 5.1% 1.2 425 28 453
93 Topsfield 3.0% 2.5% 1.2 131 4 135
94 Gardner 9.7% 8.1% 1.2 502 54 556
95 Salisbury 3.1% 2.6% 1.2 187 6 193
96 Everett 26.4% 22.2% 1.2 1,213 436 1,649
97 Plymouth 6.8% 5.7% 1.2 1,290 94 1,384
98 Chicopee 11.6% 9.8% 1.2 1,323 174 1,497
99 Taunton 10.1% 8.5% 1.2 819 92 911
100 Southbridge 22.8% 19.3% 1.2 521 154 675
101 Fall River 9.0% 7.7% 1.2 5,410 536 5,946
102 Quincy 23.1% 19.8% 1.2 660 198 858
103 Woburn 11.6% 9.9% 1.2 1,118 146 1,264
104 Somerville 28.3% 24.5% 1.2 887 350 1,237
105 Needham 6.1% 5.4% 1.1 290 19 309
106 Rehoboth 2.4% 2.2% 1.1 160 4 164
107 Revere 20.0% 17.7% 1.1 519 130 649
108 Bedford 10.0% 8.9% 1.1 287 32 319
109 Andover 9.3% 8.3% 1.1 602 62 664
110 Belchertown 4.6% 4.1% 1.1 209 10 219
111 Oak Bluffs 14.9% 13.4% 1.1 189 33 222
112 Townsend 2.9% 2.6% 1.1 271 8 279
113 Winchester 7.4% 6.7% 1.1 163 13 176
114 Braintree 6.5% 6.0% 1.1 562 39 601
115 Malden 30.2% 27.8% 1.1 379 164 543
116 Stoneham 5.8% 5.3% 1.1 147 9 156
117 Auburn 2.8% 2.6% 1.1 388 11 399
118 Upton 2.7% 2.5% 1.1 109 3 112
119 Sharon 10.5% 9.9% 1.1 205 24 229
120 Ayer 15.1% 14.3% 1.1 237 42 279
121 Holliston 3.9% 3.8% 1.0 196 8 204
122 Billerica 6.4% 6.2% 1.0 763 52 815
123 Attleboro 9.7% 9.5% 1.0 1,624 175 1,799
124 Bourne 5.0% 4.9% 1.0 209 11 220
125 Hull 3.3% 3.3% 1.0 463 16 479
126 Reading 3.5% 3.5% 1.0 245 9 254
127 Sandwich 2.4% 2.4% 1.0 290 7 297
128 Saugus 3.0% 3.0% 1.0 360 11 371
129 Eastham 3.7% 3.7% 1.0 131 5 136
130 Scituate 3.2% 3.2% 1.0 181 6 187
131 Ipswich 2.4% 2.4% 1.0 206 5 211
132 South Hadley 6.7% 6.9% 1.0 167 12 179
133 Northampton 10.4% 10.8% 1.0 740 86 826
134 Burlington 12.8% 13.3% 1.0 771 113 884
135 Whitman 2.7% 2.9% 1.0 461 13 474
136 Uxbridge 2.3% 2.4% 1.0 129 3 132
137 Rowley 1.7% 1.8% 1.0 113 2 115
138 Millbury 2.7% 2.8% 0.9 110 3 113
139 Brookline 18.9% 20.1% 0.9 1,177 274 1,451
140 Hanson 3.2% 3.4% 0.9 181 6 187
141 Sterling 1.7% 1.8% 0.9 116 2 118
142 Hopkinton 4.0% 4.3% 0.9 264 11 275
143 Mansfield 5.7% 6.2% 0.9 459 28 487
144 Wilmington 3.5% 3.8% 0.9 662 24 686
145 Easthampton 4.1% 4.5% 0.9 394 17 411
146 North Attleborough 4.1% 4.4% 0.9 799 34 833
147 Westfield 5.8% 6.4% 0.9 1,117 69 1,186
148 Palmer 2.8% 3.1% 0.9 551 16 567
149 Melrose 4.5% 5.0% 0.9 214 10 224
150 Middleborough 3.5% 3.9% 0.9 387 14 401
151 Great Barrington 5.0% 5.6% 0.9 152 8 160
152 Wellesley 10.7% 12.2% 0.9 511 61 572
153 Oxford 3.2% 3.7% 0.9 181 6 187
154 Natick 7.4% 8.4% 0.9 857 68 925
155 Tyngsborough 4.1% 4.8% 0.9 116 5 121
156 Spencer 2.1% 2.5% 0.9 370 8 378
157 Newburyport 1.8% 2.1% 0.9 448 8 456
158 Greenfield 5.5% 6.4% 0.9 607 35 642
159 Norwell 2.1% 2.4% 0.8 142 3 145
160 Wilbraham 3.2% 3.9% 0.8 299 10 309
161 North Andover 5.7% 6.9% 0.8 479 29 508
162 Winchendon 3.3% 4.0% 0.8 237 8 245
163 Weston 8.9% 10.9% 0.8 174 17 191
164 Westport 1.7% 2.1% 0.8 357 6 363
165 Hanover 1.9% 2.4% 0.8 206 4 210
166 Blackstone 2.3% 3.0% 0.8 302 7 309
167 Chelsea 42.5% 56.2% 0.8 734 543 1,277
168 Brewster 2.1% 2.8% 0.8 185 4 189
169 Northbridge 2.6% 3.4% 0.8 303 8 311
170 Templeton 1.6% 2.1% 0.7 186 3 189
171 Franklin 3.4% 4.6% 0.7 714 25 739
172 Somerset 1.3% 1.8% 0.7 463 6 469
173 Wakefield 2.3% 3.3% 0.7 250 6 256
174 East Longmeadow 1.9% 2.7% 0.7 159 3 162
175 Monson 1.5% 2.2% 0.7 257 4 261
176 Agawam 2.7% 4.0% 0.7 468 13 481
177 Charlton 1.4% 2.2% 0.7 346 5 351
178 Walpole 3.7% 5.7% 0.7 257 10 267
179 Swansea 1.4% 2.2% 0.7 413 6 419
180 Provincetown 8.8% 13.8% 0.6 93 9 102
181 Easton 5.9% 9.5% 0.6 301 19 320
182 Newton 7.8% 12.8% 0.6 1,443 122 1,565
183 Hingham 1.5% 2.4% 0.6 337 5 342
184 North Reading 1.7% 2.8% 0.6 114 2 116
185 Williamstown 6.1% 10.8% 0.6 124 8 132
186 Fairhaven 2.0% 3.8% 0.5 294 6 300
187 Freetown 2.0% 4.0% 0.5 249 5 254
188 Hampden 0.8% 1.7% 0.5 117 1 118
189 Deerfield 1.7% 3.6% 0.5 113 2 115
190 Norton 4.6% 9.6% 0.5 230 11 241
191 Tewksbury 1.9% 4.1% 0.5 513 10 523
192 Acushnet 1.2% 2.6% 0.5 166 2 168
193 Shirley 8.6% 20.0% 0.4 96 9 105
194 Cohasset 0.7% 1.6% 0.4 145 1 146
195 Carver 1.6% 4.1% 0.4 126 2 128
196 Southwick 1.2% 3.2% 0.4 166 2 168
197 Concord 3.4% 9.5% 0.4 365 13 378
198 East Bridgewater 1.2% 3.3% 0.4 330 4 334
199 Dracut 1.9% 5.4% 0.4 359 7 366
200 Middleton 3.9% 11.8% 0.3 98 4 102
201 Lakeville 0.9% 2.7% 0.3 114 1 115
202 Danvers 0.8% 2.6% 0.3 706 6 712
203 Longmeadow 1.5% 4.7% 0.3 201 3 204
204 Hamilton 1.9% 6.3% 0.3 101 2 103
205 Douglas 0.8% 2.8% 0.3 234 2 236
206 Bridgewater 4.6% 15.7% 0.3 602 29 631
207 Groton 0.9% 2.9% 0.3 116 1 117
208 Dartmouth 2.9% 10.7% 0.3 435 13 448
209 Pepperell 0.8% 3.0% 0.3 251 2 253
210 Ashburnham 0.6% 2.6% 0.2 167 1 168
211 Sturbridge 0.7% 3.3% 0.2 266 2 268
212 Grafton 0.7% 4.6% 0.2 133 1 134
213 Ludlow 1.7% 11.6% 0.1 237 4 241
214 West Boylston 1.4% 13.3% 0.1 145 2 147

Note: Includes only towns that wrote at least 100 tickets to town residents.

Source: Boston Globe analysis of all traffic tickets in Massachusetts, April 2001 through November 2002. Population figures from Speed Trap.

Boston Globe/Bill Dedman, [email protected]


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