Racial Profiling vs. the Law Essay Example

cases where the police are dishonest, resulting in a loss of public trust. It is important to acknowledge that racial profiling is illegal and undermines the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection and freedom from unjust investigations.

Extensive textual evidence and research confirm that racial profiling endangers innocent lives and lacks a purpose as a policing strategy. The belief in the necessity of racial profiling is debunked by its tendency to enable police officers to target people of color. Bob Herbert's article "Jim Crow Policing" provides evidence of this, emphasizing the frequent harassment faced by individuals from black and Hispanic communities at the hands of law enforcement. Herbert's frustration with this issue is evident in both his tone and word choice. To support his argument, he includes the following quote: "The fact that a certain percentage of criminals may be black or Hispanic is no reason for the police to harass individuals from those groups when there is no indication whatsoever that they have done anything wrong" (Herbert par.).

The main idea conveyed in this passage is the endorsement of racial profiling as a tactic in law enforcement and the resulting targeting and mistreatment of individuals by police officers based on their race. The passage emphasizes that such discrimination is immoral because a person's characteristics should not be determined by their ethnicity. It distinguishes between targeting someone for a specific crime versus oppressing them solely based on their race without evidence of wrongdoing. Additionally, it highlights that most mentioned offenders were either "black or Hispanic," raising doubts about the legality of this approach. Despite some police officers' questionable actions towards people of color, there is no justification

for them to harass and degrade individuals simply due to their position of power. A research article supporting this argument accompanies this text.

An additional source, specifically an article by Ranjana Natarajan titled "Racial profiling has destroyed public trust in police. Cops are exploiting our weak laws against it," argues that racial profiling leads to brutality, particularly on the part of the police, and emphasizes the urgency to stop it. The article highlights the issue of police violence, which deters people of color from reaching out for police assistance. This is because they fear betrayal rather than the resolution of the problem they called for. Natarajan's quote further strengthens this argument by pointing out that excessive force and racial profiling are harmful forms of police misconduct that require joint efforts to reduce and eliminate. Furthermore, racial profiling not only leads to tragic police killings of unarmed individuals but also unnecessary stops, searches, harassment, intimidation, and even confiscation of property without proper legal process (Natarajan par.

The text emphasizes the negative consequences that occur when racial profiling and violence are combined. It acknowledges that although it may be true that most suspects are black or Latino, this does not justify mistreatment and intimidation by police officers. Nor does it excuse unjustified stops, searches, and confiscation of property from disadvantaged individuals of color. The quote underscores the importance of reducing and eliminating racial profiling for everyone's safety. It also demands accountability for officers who use excessive force during suspect apprehension. Both citations highlight the moral wrongdoing of singling out individuals based on race and how violence worsens the problem.

The article contends that racial profiling in law enforcement should be

discouraged due to the unjust accusations it brings upon minorities by white individuals. Terrence McCoy's piece, titled "The secret surveillance of 'suspicious' blacks in one of the nation's poshest neighborhoods," supports this viewpoint by highlighting how both the media and general public frequently label black individuals as suspicious. Its primary objective is to challenge the negative perception held by white people towards African Americans, particularly regarding their alleged suspicious behavior or potential involvement in criminal activities. By targeting racial profiling within media outlets and urging employees and customers at stores to refrain from assuming wrongdoing solely based on a person's race while shopping or browsing, the article aims to reduce this detrimental practice. A specific example is provided: "Suspicious shoppers in store [...] All African American."

The retailers have uploaded numerous pictures to the chatroom, depicting over 230 shoppers, of whom more than 90 percent are African American. McCoy notes that it is a common tendency to label the perpetrators of such crimes as young men of color. However, this does not warrant assuming guilt for every person of color. McCoy emphasizes that accusing or presuming someone's guilt solely based on their race is unjustified, particularly if they have not engaged in any illegal behavior.

The text suggests that just because a group of "African American" individuals enter a store, it should not automatically label them as "suspicious shoppers." Retailers uploading numerous pictures to a chatroom may make them appear more suspicious than those they accuse. It raises the question of why media usage is important if there is nothing suspicious to be found. Often, when people describe those responsible for such wrongdoings, they tend to

be young men of color. This implies that minorities may face unfair advantages compared to their white counterparts. Believing that a person of color is automatically a suspect is unacceptable, despite certain ethnic groups being known for specific traits, as it wrongly targets them. Another research article in a similar vein is "Family accuses Safeway of racial profiling" by Kevin Forestieri, presenting a similar message by illustrating how racial profiling leads white individuals to falsely accuse a minority family of potentially illegal actions.

The article tells the story of a Bay Area African American family's mission to assist homeless individuals in their community. During their journey, Erika Martin, the mother, encounters an obstacle when a police car stops her. She is then questioned due to false accusations made by grocery store employees who accused the Martins of theft while they were parked outside. Despite minimal involvement from law enforcement, this incident continues to disturb the family.

A quote from the Martin family expresses their frustration during a well-intentioned trip. It turned sour when Martin found herself blocked by a police car in her parking space, being questioned by officers. The grocery store employees had called the police due to a possible theft, leading to Martin and her family members becoming suspects. Although the police officers described the interaction as friendly, Martin and her family members are upset about what they believe is one instance of racial profiling in a series of incidents they have faced while living in the Bay Area (Forestieri par. 4).

This quote exemplifies the typical reaction of white individuals upon noticing non-white audiences and becoming skeptical about a potential negative event. It specifically highlights

that incidents like this are just one example of the racial profiling that minorities regularly encounter. The quote and argument suggest that it was deceptive for the employees to unjustly assume a "possible theft in progress" solely based on the individuals' black race. Not only was this report false, but it also led to unnecessary questioning by officers who described the encounter as amicable. While white individuals may not comprehend the significance of this situation, the Martin family found it distressing and indicated that it is merely one among numerous instances of racial profiling they have endured.

In conclusion, the act of racially profiling minorities is a wrongful action that should be held accountable. Furthermore, law enforcement officers engaging in racial profiling undermine public trust in them. Jeffrey Toobin examines this matter in "Rights and Wrongs," highlighting how unjust stop-and-frisks have violated the rights of African American citizens. Consequently, faith in the police force has diminished, reducing their dependability and leadership in society.

In the article, cases presided over by Judge Scheindlin are discussed, many of which involve instances where African Americans are unfairly stopped or arrested by the police. According to the article, Judge Scheindlin consistently uncovers cases in which law enforcement officers have lied, discriminated against people of color, and violated citizens' rights. This finding demonstrates that even a judge, who is expected to work alongside law enforcement, can doubt the testimonies of police officers whose responsibility is to maintain peace and protect the community. Drawing from her past experiences, Judge Scheindlin has exposed the unpleasant reality that police officers have directly deceived her in order to harm innocent victims.

Along with this, Scheindlin has noticed

in some police officers a tendency to discriminate against people of color and violate the rights of citizens. This concerns Scheindlin because her job is to prevent such occurrences from happening and spreading, which leads to innocent people suffering and losing trust in the law. Additionally, there is another source that bolsters this dispute. Another text by Ranjana Natarajan argues how police officers throughout the U.S. have lost public trust due to their unjust democratic values, as "Racial profiling has destroyed public trust in police."

The text challenges the belief that racial profiling is a vital tactic for law enforcement agents. It asserts that certain officers are unfairly singling out innocent people of color, causing trust to diminish between the police and the community. A quote is included to back up this argument, stating that targeting individuals based on their race, religion, or nationality instead of their actions jeopardizes public safety and fosters distrust towards law enforcement. This quote underscores the primary factors behind the deteriorating relationship between society and those in charge of enforcing laws.

Regarding this matter, the disruption of "public safety" is crucial because the act of police officers stopping individuals for improper reasons endangers everyone's well-being. When police officers stop citizens based on "race, religion or national origin rather than behavior," it undermines their credibility and damages police-community trust. As "community distrust of police grows," police officers will eventually find themselves with little purpose as their relationship and reputation with the community deteriorates. Both quotes emphasize the unfair treatment that minorities experience from police officers and how it harms their mutual relationship. Through thorough examination of tangible evidence and focused research, it is

evident that racial profiling is an ineffective policing technique as it leads to misunderstandings of innocent individuals. Racial profiling has sparked significant controversy and violence among ethnic communities.

Racial profiling refers to the selective targeting of individuals of color by police with the intention of humiliating, harassing, and unfairly imprisoning them. In a biased society, this practice leads to an increase in wrongful arrests and mistreatment of minorities by law enforcement. The consequences include inciting police brutality, fabricating unfounded accusations against minority groups, and creating a divide between the public and law enforcement. This inequality stems from the fact that violence is disproportionately used against people from minority communities while white individuals receive differential treatment from the police. Furthermore, false statements or reports made about non-white individuals have a significant impact as they undermine their self-esteem and contribute to further chaos.

To effectively serve the community, police officers must prioritize rebuilding public trust. The decrease in demand for their services, caused by this loss of trust, has led law enforcement authorities to do more harm than good. Furthermore, racial profiling not only undermines national security but also generates tension among different ethnic groups.The following sources provide further information on this issue:

Work Cited

1. Bob Herbert - Terrence McCoy - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/the-secret-surveillance-of-suspicious-blacks-in-one-of-the-nations-poshest-neighborhoods/2015/10/13/2e47236c-6c4d-11e5-b31c-d80d62b53e28_story.html?utm_term=.4b42dbae77da
2. Kevin Forestieri - https://mv-voice.com/news/2018/07 / 26/family accuses safeway of racial-profiling
3. Jeffrey Toobin - https: // www.newyorker .com/magazine / 2013 /05 /27/rights-and-wrongs-
4. Ranjana Natarajan - https :// www.washingtonpost .com/posteverything/wp / 2014 /12 /15/racial-profiling-has-destroyed-public-trust-in-police-cops-are-exploiting -our -weak-laws-against-it/?utm_term=.0c5f14b0320d