Minorities and Crime
I believe that racial profiling is taking place in policing. Racial profiling has deeply been rooted in our society in spite of the claims that the country has entered a “post-racial period.” It takes place daily, in towns and cities across the nation, when the police and private security target minorities for humiliating and frequently frightening detentions, illegal searches, and interrogations. There have been reports of people of color and indigenous communities being racially profiled in their different interactions with police, including being monitored or followed by law enforcers, searches (strip searches included), harsh or unnecessary heavy-handed treatment (like being treated rudely), excessive utilization of force or restraint, reprisals (payback), unnecessary arrests, excessive charges, unwarranted calls for officer reinforcement, being stopped without sufficient reason; the list is endless (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018).
There are also reports of law enforcement officers prioritizing crimes that have been conducted in regions where racialized individuals tend to reside, compared to similar crimes conducted in regions where Whites tend to reside. Also, when law enforcers utilize the strategy of individuals who look “out of place,” it may lead to more people of color being stopped in neighborhoods where mostly Whites reside. Racial profiling is not justifiable in its use. This is because it is ineffective. Rather, it reduces people’s sense of trust in law enforcers. As such, people begin fearing the police officers and perceive them as a threat to their safety. The likelihood of the public reporting crime, cooperating with law enforcement investigations, or providing evidence in court reduces as well (Gabbidon & Greene, 2018). Racial profiling in policing has also been linked to increased criminalization-youths turning into criminals by over-policing the activities they take part in. The above mentioned impacts of racial profiling undermine the effectiveness and authority of the police.
Reference
Gabbidon, S. L. & Greene, H. T. (2018). Race and Crime. Sage Publications
