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Does Racial Profiling Exist

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Does Racial Profiling Exist
A young black male is on his way home from work, and gets suspiciously pulled over by highway patrol. The officer claims the man is being pulled over for his speed, but the driver has a different opinion. He has heard on the radio that there has been a bank robbery nearby, and the wanted criminal is supposedly a young male, with no mention of skin color. Does this kind of behavior from officers exist? Is it logical to believe that this man was pulled over because of his dark skin? Do officers prejudice against races? There is a large debate on the subject of racial profiling, and whether or not it still exists within the government. Some say that there is no such thing, and that officers do not see race as a variable for whether or not they pull someone over or search them. They claim that through the development of the United States, all racial inequalities have subsided. Others believe that racial profiling is a large reason for why officers pull certain people over on the road. They claim that certain races are subject to harsher treatment than others. Some observers might want to get rid of all racial profiling. The truth is this: racial profiling exists and is being abused. The side effect to this is that it cannot be completely eliminated but only heavily controlled.
The only way to keep racial profiling to a minimum is to be well informed as a community, and to know one’s rights as an individual. Racial profiling will always exist and in some circumstances is necessary in order to protect the community. It can be harmful, but under the advancing laws and regulations of the government and the close watch of US citizens, it can be controlled and maintained. In a case by case basis, it can be determined whether or not it is necessary in order to stop criminal activity and avoid violating civil liberties.
Racial profiling cannot be denied, but only monitored. This is a fact that individuals need to be aware of, so every person can be treated with respect



Cited: Grabianowski, Ed. "How Profiling Works." How Stuff Works. Discovery. 13 Sept. 2006. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Jobard, Fabien, and René Lévy. "Racial Profiling: The Parisian Police Experience." Canadian Journal of Criminology & Criminal Justice 53.1 (2011): 91. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Johnofsi. “The Racial Profiling Lie.” The Right Perspective. 24 July 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Institute on Race and Justice. “Data Collection Resource Center.” Racial Profiling Data Collection. Northeastern University, 15 Feb. 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Knowles, John, Nicola Persico, and Petra Todd Pickerill, J. Mitchell, Clayton Moshur, and Travis Pratt. "Search and Seizure, Racial Profiling, and Traffic Stops: A Disparate Impact Framework." Law & Policy 31.1 (2009): 6-12. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. Pipes, Daniel, and David A. Harris. “Is Middle Eastern Profiling Ever Justified?” Clashing Views on Political Issues. 17th Ed. George McKenna and Stanley Feingold. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. 311-21. Print. Robin Shepard Engel, and Jennifer M Calnon. "Examining the Influence of Drivers’ Characteristics During Traffic Stops With Police: Results from a National Survey" Justice Quarterly 21.1 (2004): 50-54. Platinum Periodicals, ProQuest. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. Robinson, Eugene. “You Have the Right to Remain a Target of Racial Profiling.” The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing Brief Edition. 5th ed. Ed. John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, June Johnson. Longman, 2009. 237-38. Print. United States

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