Racial Profiling

One of the most controversial law enforcements techniques is known as racial profiling. Racial profiling is defined as "any action undertaken for reasons of safety, security or public protection that relies on stereotypes about race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, or place of origin rather than on reasonable suspicion, to single out an individual for greater scrutiny or different treatment" (David 2004, 17). While contemporary law enforcement officials maintain racial profiling is an effective and efficient allocation of resources in the form of a management tool, minorities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, have alleged racial profiling is tantamount to racism and discrimination. After September 11, 2001, an increasing number of persons of Middle-Eastern origin have made similar claims. This analysis will look at the use of racial profiling from a number of perspectives.

Law enforcement officials view racial profiling as a management tool that enables the effective and efficient use of resources. Officials in law enforcement argue that statistics demonstrate that a majority of crimes are committed by young-to-middle-aged minorities. Such officials argue it is a waste of scarce resources to target female senior citizens, as they are least likely to commit crime. Focusing on other segments of the population that seldom commit crime, law enforcement officials argue, would be an inefficient use of tax dollars and would do lit

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n. Sprull died of a heart attack later that morning. Numerous such cases, including the shooting deaths of more than a few unarmed African Americans, have created protest from civil liberties groups, minorities, and advocates of justice. Homeland Security measures have increased the number of Middle-Eastern descendants under the radar of racial profiling. Lawmakers are trying to pass a bill that requires law enforcement officers to record the race of drivers at traffic stops or lose federal funds. One study conducted by Missouri civil-rights groups maintains that "blacks are 40 percent more likely to be stopped than whites" (Childress 2004, 9). While law enforcement officials maintain that racial profiling is an effective and efficient use of resources and deters crime, others like Kenneth Meeks wholeheartedly disagree. In his book Driving While Black, Meeks (2000) argues that minorities, particularly blacks, are unfairly targeted by law enforcement officials based on skin color. As Meeks (2000) writes, "We must ask ourselves: Is racial profiling a subtle form of legal prejudice? Or is it a legitimate way to stop crime before it takes place?" (5-6). Meeks' answer is that this alleged "management tool" is tantamount to r

Category: Government - R