Preview

Effectiveness of Racial Profiling in Countering Terrorism

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1336 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Effectiveness of Racial Profiling in Countering Terrorism
[Student 's Name]

[Professor 's Name]

[Subject Code and Title]

[Date]

Is Racial Profiling an Effective Counter Terrorism Measure?

The September 11 terror attack on the American soil was followed by a successive wave of events that were aimed at countering terrorism. As the global engagement on terrorism intensified, racial profiling became more pronounced along the corridors of counter-terrorism. Conversely, the employment of racial profiling as an instrument for detecting terror suspects and countering terrorism has elicited sharp criticism from different quarters. Even as protagonists of racial profiling reiterate its effectiveness in combating terrorism, dissenting voices lament the flagrant human rights violations and racial segregations borne of racial profiling. This paper critically examines the issues surrounding racial profiling in order to form a benchmark upon which the effectiveness of racial profiling in countering terrorism can be measured.

The September 11 attacks on the US soil, which was one of the single worst acts of terrorism in the world 's history, led to the re-emergence of racial profiling in full force. In a desperate effort to bring to book the perpetrators of these attacks, security agencies in the US developed prejudice on Middle-Easterners. These prejudices were then codified into law including additional security measures for Arabs and Muslims leaving and entering the US territory. It is against this backdrop that racial profiling gained prominence not only in the US but also among its allies. This then raises a very pertinent concern as to whether racial profiling is effective in countering terrorism across the globe.

Security organs more often than not have based detention and interdiction of suspects primarily on the basis of their race, ethnicity and/or religion. Pickering et al argue that racial profiling occurs against the belief that certain minority groups are more likely to engage in unlawful behavior. They



Cited: Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Irreversible Consequences: Racial Profiling and Lethal Force in the War on Terror. NY: NYU School of Law, 2006. Print. Etiony, Aldarando. Advancing Social Justice Through Clinical Practice. NJ: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, 2008. Print. Muffler, J. Steven. Racial Profiling: Issues, Data and Analyses. NY: Nova Science P, 2006. Print. Pickering, Sharon, McCulloch and Wright-Neville David. Counter-Terrorism Policing: Community, Cohesion and Security. NY: Springer, 2008. Print.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    1. Is Racial profiling an effective counterterrorist measure and does it violate the Right to be free from discrimination?…

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    This article discusses both opposing and supporting views on immigration laws being used for antiterrorism purposes. The author uses examples of individuals who were profiled, charts, diagrams, quotes and news articles to support each view point. The author expresses the supporting viewpoint believes…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As a result of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 the use of racial profiles and enforcement of stricter security at airlines and borderlines was increased in order to prevent a similar event from happening. This in turn has created more conflict because false suspicions and assumptions made in profiles and foreign policies have caused people to feel humiliated by and angered at the United States. The use of racial profiling has increased ever since the attacks on 9/11. Linda Chavez, a Latina author, recalls her experiences of being questioned by security and suspected of being a terrorist because of her resemblance to Middle Eastern descent in Everything Isn’t Racial Profiling.…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In terms of motorists, in 2005 Black drivers were three times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than Whites, and were twice as likely than White drivers to be arrested during a traffic stop (“Reality of Racial Profiling”). These findings demonstrate that police are more likely to target people of color than Whites and case studies have shown that this practice is counterproductive and a misallocation of law enforcement resources. For example, in Arizona although Black motorists were more likely than Whites to be stopped and searched, Whites who were searched were more likely to be carrying contraband (“Reality of Racial Profiling”). The case study in Arizona exemplifies a problem in the criminal justice system that must be addressed. Minority motorists are more likely than White motorists to be stopped and harassed by police based off the inherent belief that people of a minority race, ethnicity, or religion are more likely to engage in criminal or unlawful activity than…

    • 1380 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Racial profiling has influenced many people across the world; it has been a huge problem which needs to be resolved. The points discussed in this paper basically touch on why racial profiling is unacceptable and how it needs to be sustained. Why minorities shouldn’t have to suffer because of false stereotypes; also shouldn’t have to deal with bias opinions of the law. America is the land of the free also a place where second chances are embraced. There’s points made on how people reacted to racial profiling, and some resolutions. The ultimate goal is to minimize this epidemic in hopes people can start raising more…

    • 749 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Did you know that an appalling, unconstitutional and pernicious attack happens continuously in today’s society against innocent citizens and nobody does anything about it? This practice is called racial profiling. Mr. Bob Herbert, a journalist for the New York Times, discusses this in his article, “Hounding the Innocent”. This article is an insightful and informative. He informs his readers about many actual situations of innocent citizens becoming victims of this cruel practice. Mr. Herbert is correct, racial profiling is unnecessary and hurtful or is sickening and should not even exist. Racial profiling is the practice of using one’s skin color as evidence for grounds of suspicion. How can one say that this practice is fair? Racial profiling should be eliminated; it is insensitive, unconstitutional and has a detrimental effect on society.…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Racial profiling is a law enforcement practice that uses race as a tool or evidence for law enforcement practices. This paper shows that the ethics of racial profiling is highly dependent on the circumstances and situation. Through the examples of the War on Drugs and the War on Terror, an examination of evidence and important considerations show that racial profiling can have both detrimental and beneficial consequences. Using an ethical cost-benefit analysis, the practice of racial profiling generally causes more harm than good when used in a law enforcement context.…

    • 1414 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Amnesty International. "Racial Profiling Has a Heavy Social Cost." Racial Profiling. Ed. Kris Hirschmann. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Rpt. from "Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security, and Human Rights in the United States." 2004. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 May 2012.…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the United States of America racial discrimination still exists to this day. Minorities in our country are not seen as equal people. When a person is deprived of their human rights it makes them feel degraded and troubled. In order to become a more civilized country, we must forget the color of our own skin and live with each other as one. In the article “Why Racial Profiling is a Bad Idea” by Tom Head, discusses the way cops pay more attention to those of minority races and how they usually find them guilty of crimes they didn’t commit. Even though many officers will deny their participation in this type of profiling, a lot use this tactic to pull over and arrest Minority races. The article “Racial Profiling Lives On” by Devon Carbado, Cheryl Harris and Kimberle Crenshaw, also displays examples of how racial profiling continues to this day. There are many ways cops can search/arrest African Americans or other Minorities for no reason and still keep from breaking the Fourth Amendment and the authors of “Racial Profiling Lives On” supports there claims with emotional examples that appeal to a pathological type of audience.…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    stop and frisk policy

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages

    1. BIAS IN POLICE STOPS? In the late 1990s, popular, legal, and political concerns were raised across the United States about police harassment of minority groups in their everyday encounters with law enforcement. These concerns focused on the extent to which police were stopping people on the highways for “driving while black” (seeWeitzer 2000; Harris 2002; Lundman and Kaufman 2003). Additional concerns were raised about racial bias in pedestrian stops of citizens by police predicated on “zero-tolerance” policies to control quality-of-life crimes and policing strategies concentrated in minority communities that targeted illegal gun possession and drug trafficking (see Fagan, Zimring, and Kim 1998; Greene 1999; Skolnick and Caplovitz 2001; Fagan and Davies 2000, 2003; Fagan 2002; Gould and Mastrofski 2004).…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The image of hundreds people jumping to their deaths out of windows 1,000 feet of the ground, to the masses of people chaotically running through the streets will never be forgotten to the people affected by terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Ever since that catastrophic day in history, the push for safer national security measures has been crucial in making sure an attack never occurs again; one of these measures being racial…

    • 1072 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Racial profiling is a very widespread topic. Racial profiling is beginning to spread across the United States and many other countries as if a fire spread in a forest. It is important for us to understand that racial profiling is impractical and hurtful to the persons targeted. It is also important for people to recognize that racial profiling puts fear into people’s hearts and that can have an emotional impact on the way people think, act and even their character. Racial Profiling should be a exercise that should be ended in all places including the court system and law enforcement. One can come up with several illustrations declaring its advantages and disadvantages. Although racial profiling can be useful in certain cases it is incorrect…

    • 146 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Racial Profiling Cons

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ever since September 11, 2001, the world’s fight against terrorism has been a continuous battle. The difference between this war, and all the other wars prior, is that we don't know who the enemy is at certain times. A system had to be put into play based upon statistics to narrow down a group of people who would be more likely to carry out an attack, or commit a crime. Since then, Racial Profiling, or police profiling has been used as a tool to reduce crime, and prevent attacks throughout the world. The war on terror was a key factor in creating racial profiling because it uses statistics to target suspected terrorists, allowed us to see what organizations were mainly responsible for attacks, and aided in the United States forming a system…

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The judging of an individual’s character by their race did not become relevant because of the Rodney King beating, the attacks on the World Trade Center, or the illegal aliens crossing the Mexican border. Racial Discrimination has been a reoccurring issue for centuries. Throughout time, these judgments and discriminations have led to unwarranted searches, racial riots and unjust prosecutions. Racial Profiling not only adds to this overwhelming issue but is upheld by the U.S. government and prominent leaders. Racial profiling has caused divisions between black men and the police, negative effects on immigration and race relations, and false imprisonment, further proving that racial profiling is not defensible public policy.…

    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Cultural Considerations

    • 1664 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The abuse on that scale does not occur within the United States; however, a problem still exists with the assessment of police and security personnel. These practices are scrutinized by the military, governments, security agencies, and local and foreign police. Of course, these practices question discrimination and profiling. Profiling is one of the major concerns here in the United States. Some confusion exits between profiling and racial…

    • 1664 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics