Issues Relating to Racial Profiling in Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers often use the term profiling, which refers to a practice of describing individual behavior (positive or negative) and/or certain personal characteristics. At some point in time, the term profiling has evolved from its original specific intent and shifted from an individual’s actions to the individual’s race, ethnicity or national origin of an individual. Many individuals have seen law enforcement officers from interstate highways to airports describe an individual criminal behavior based on race. In the United States, racial profiling has been used as a way to stereotype an individual or groups solely on race and/or even on the person’s negative behavior still …show more content…
being targeted as criminals. “Consequences of racial profiling in law enforcement are evident in the demographics of the prison population.” (Ibe et al, 2012, p.188). Some communities have an undesirable perception of law enforcement that in some cases becomes an obstruction of criminal investigations. Many minorities have experienced racial profiling and the term “driving while black” at some time in their lives. This term originates directly from instances of racial profiling and has developed into a perception that every traffic stop on a black person is racially motivated. Many law enforcement officers have experienced these types of emotions from motorists on traffic stops. The perception on traffic stops is not the only area that impacts the law enforcement. Recruiting of minority law enforcement officers has been severely impacted on racial profiling. For example, minorities in the community are disinclined to attempt a career in the law enforcement based on a bad perception of law enforcement. Looking at rural and urban areas, there are different views of racial …show more content…
As citizens are selected for jury duty, many of them may have experienced racial profiling and have a negative perception of the judicial system. The danger of having a negative perception is a bias toward law enforcement which leads to a subjective view of the facts of a case that is presented. Jurors who have experienced racial profiling maybe inclined to be more compassionate towards a criminal who otherwise should have been found guilty. These types of situations erode at the foundation of the judicial system, causing a further breakdown in trust. The foundation of the judicial system is based on honesty, trust, and integrity. Any deviation from that foundation such as racial profiling promotes erosion and distrust in the
Law enforcement officers often use the term profiling, which refers to a practice of describing individual behavior (positive or negative) and/or certain personal characteristics. At some point in time, the term profiling has evolved from its original specific intent and shifted from an individual’s actions to the individual’s race, ethnicity or national origin of an individual. Many individuals have seen law enforcement officers from interstate highways to airports describe an individual criminal behavior based on race. In the United States, racial profiling has been used as a way to stereotype an individual or groups solely on race and/or even on the person’s negative behavior still …show more content…
being targeted as criminals. “Consequences of racial profiling in law enforcement are evident in the demographics of the prison population.” (Ibe et al, 2012, p.188). Some communities have an undesirable perception of law enforcement that in some cases becomes an obstruction of criminal investigations. Many minorities have experienced racial profiling and the term “driving while black” at some time in their lives. This term originates directly from instances of racial profiling and has developed into a perception that every traffic stop on a black person is racially motivated. Many law enforcement officers have experienced these types of emotions from motorists on traffic stops. The perception on traffic stops is not the only area that impacts the law enforcement. Recruiting of minority law enforcement officers has been severely impacted on racial profiling. For example, minorities in the community are disinclined to attempt a career in the law enforcement based on a bad perception of law enforcement. Looking at rural and urban areas, there are different views of racial …show more content…
As citizens are selected for jury duty, many of them may have experienced racial profiling and have a negative perception of the judicial system. The danger of having a negative perception is a bias toward law enforcement which leads to a subjective view of the facts of a case that is presented. Jurors who have experienced racial profiling maybe inclined to be more compassionate towards a criminal who otherwise should have been found guilty. These types of situations erode at the foundation of the judicial system, causing a further breakdown in trust. The foundation of the judicial system is based on honesty, trust, and integrity. Any deviation from that foundation such as racial profiling promotes erosion and distrust in the