The Pros And Cons Of Racial Profiling
Despite the gains for Affirmative Action for African Americans and civil rights, racial profiling still occurs in American society today and it is becoming a growing practice through leadership positions. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ),
Racial profiling by law enforcement is commonly defined as a practice that targets people for suspicion of crime based on their race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Creating a profile about the kinds of people who commit certain types of crimes may lead officers to generalize about a particular group and act according to the generalization rather than specific behavior. (National Institute of Justice, 2013)
Racial profiling provides a distinct disadvantage and disregard for African …show more content…
This includes security guards at department stores, airport security agents, police officers, or, more recently, airline pilots who have ordered passengers to disembark from flights, because the passengers' ethnicity aroused the pilots' suspicions. Members of each of these occupations have been accused of racial profiling. (ACLU) In order to create a truly equal society in terms of law enforcement, legislation needs to be crafted so it is no longer reactive, but proactive, as many innocent African Americans have been wrongly profiled or killed by law enforcement. Throughout history, there have been several landmark situations of racial profiling and how they can be detrimental to African Americans well-being. When considering the factors of racial profiling, one must note the psychological association with the common portrayal of American American crime in the United States. Many Americans hold implicit biases towards African Americans, including law enforcement officials. These implicit biases can ultimately contribute to racist beliefs and promote racial profiling. As Kelly Welch mentions and according to Barlow as cited in (Barlow, 1998, p. 151) in her study, Black Criminal Stereotypes and Racial …show more content…
Because journalists rely on outside sources for information, quotes, and analysis, individuals can use the media as a conduit for promoting a certain perspective and influencing the broader public (Gamson & Lasch, 1983). When an incident draws public attention, claims makers such as political leaders, law enforcement officials, professional experts, and activists can be seen to offer to compete for constructions about the nature of the problem (Best, 1991; Kasinsky, 1994). The media is positioned as mediating among these competing constructions, acting as a powerful filter which offers legitimacy to some claims while marginalizing others (Surette, 2007) and often favors claims made by politicians, criminal justice officials, and other noted authorities (Chermak, 1995; Sacco, 1995)...It has been noted that the media particularly rely on police as a quick credible source for information about a crime, which often results in the promotion of police claims about crime and appropriate solutions (Ericson, 1989; Fishman, 1981). (Graziano,
Racial profiling by law enforcement is commonly defined as a practice that targets people for suspicion of crime based on their race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Creating a profile about the kinds of people who commit certain types of crimes may lead officers to generalize about a particular group and act according to the generalization rather than specific behavior. (National Institute of Justice, 2013)
Racial profiling provides a distinct disadvantage and disregard for African …show more content…
This includes security guards at department stores, airport security agents, police officers, or, more recently, airline pilots who have ordered passengers to disembark from flights, because the passengers' ethnicity aroused the pilots' suspicions. Members of each of these occupations have been accused of racial profiling. (ACLU) In order to create a truly equal society in terms of law enforcement, legislation needs to be crafted so it is no longer reactive, but proactive, as many innocent African Americans have been wrongly profiled or killed by law enforcement. Throughout history, there have been several landmark situations of racial profiling and how they can be detrimental to African Americans well-being. When considering the factors of racial profiling, one must note the psychological association with the common portrayal of American American crime in the United States. Many Americans hold implicit biases towards African Americans, including law enforcement officials. These implicit biases can ultimately contribute to racist beliefs and promote racial profiling. As Kelly Welch mentions and according to Barlow as cited in (Barlow, 1998, p. 151) in her study, Black Criminal Stereotypes and Racial …show more content…
Because journalists rely on outside sources for information, quotes, and analysis, individuals can use the media as a conduit for promoting a certain perspective and influencing the broader public (Gamson & Lasch, 1983). When an incident draws public attention, claims makers such as political leaders, law enforcement officials, professional experts, and activists can be seen to offer to compete for constructions about the nature of the problem (Best, 1991; Kasinsky, 1994). The media is positioned as mediating among these competing constructions, acting as a powerful filter which offers legitimacy to some claims while marginalizing others (Surette, 2007) and often favors claims made by politicians, criminal justice officials, and other noted authorities (Chermak, 1995; Sacco, 1995)...It has been noted that the media particularly rely on police as a quick credible source for information about a crime, which often results in the promotion of police claims about crime and appropriate solutions (Ericson, 1989; Fishman, 1981). (Graziano,