Racial Profiling

What is Racial Profiling?

“Racial Profiling” is the discrimitory practice of law enforcement officials in targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the target’s race, ethinicity, religion, or national origin.  Racial profiling is most often seen regarding people of colour when committing minimal offenses, for example, jaywalking.  

Example 1:

October 12, 1995.

A 31-year old African American male, Johnny Gammage, is pulled over by Brentwood police officers while driving his cousin's Jaguar car.  After violence ensues, Gammage is officially pronounced dead at 3:51 am of that morning.  While all police officers claim that Gammage had initiated the fight, the only witness testifies otherwise. 

Example 2:

February 4, 1999.

41 bullets were shot by four white policemen into an apartment belonging to Amadou Diallo.  A 22-year old immigrant from Guinea, West Africa, the unarmed young man was shot dead by 19 of the 41 bullets.  The New York City Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit often used these aggressive “stop and frisk” tactics.  This unit of four was reported to stop African Americans 10 times more than caucasions. 

Example 3:

November 2020.

Seeing a new Mercedes driven by what he believed to be a young Native American, patrol officer Otto followed the car all the way to a hotel parking lot.  Although Otto claims that he had reasonable suspicion other than race, after seeing that the driver was in reality a middle aged Asian man, Otto reported to his fellow officer that “it's going to be nothing”.  Reports from the indigenous people of South Dakota suggest that this is not the only incident they have had to face. 

Why Does This Happen?

Racial Profiling occurs as a result of stereotyping and prejudice.  In essence, racial profiling is due to subconcious racism where an entire ethic group is associated with law breaking activity.  While law enforcement members have the most power to act upon this racism, racial profiling may be done by anybody.  Though the constitution protects against unreasonable searches, victims of racial profiling are detained unjustly with insufficient evidence and/or reasonable cause.  In cases of racial profiling, involved perpetrators often face no consequences and are not held accountable. 

Consequences:

Though black people face a disproportionate amount of racial profiling from the police, All minorities experience Racial Profiling.   Victims of racial profiling may be more often charged for insignificant offenses that otherwise would have been overlooked , enforcing mistrust between community and law enforcement.  More importantly, minorities may be wrongly convicted of crime.  If the situation escalates, racial profiling could even result in death of innocents. 

Note:

Keep in mind that the detainment of somebody belonging to a minority is not always racial profiling.  With sufficient cause, the detainment of an individual belonging to a minority who has actually committed crime is not an considered racial profiling.