Racial Profiling
A number of factors have contributed to racial profiling and politics cannot be left out of the mess. One, during their campaigns they assume the existence of the problem and sometimes promise people of coming up with laws to deal with the same problem which mostly they do not accomplish (Anderson, 2004). The constitution of America has not given out proper guidelines on how to deal with the police administering this injustice. Apart from political reasons, the social construct in the country that depict colored people as inferior to whites has also contributed to racial profiling in criminal justice system.
Why study racial profiling
It is important to study racial profiling so as to help a country help its citizen's deal with the injustice directed to them, a government has to do away with such treatments. The American nation has always purposed to treat all people equally not discriminating them by color, religion or class. This is only possible if the government is aware of the forms and the effects of this racial profiling. It will then come up with measures to curb the same and bring unity in the country. African Americans and the Latinos have been heard to complain over along period of time of how the police have been handling them. They report that they have been checking them in their vehicles while they drive and yet do not even ask for permission. They still complain that no one has been giving them an ear over the same problem. Reports also show that the police have been checking people on the streets over drug use allegations basing on race. The number of African Americans who are stopped as compared to the whites is high (Bamagarner, 2004, p. 299). The event of 11 September bombing has also contributed to the same treatment in that those of the same origin with the terrorists have suffered a lot from racial profiling (civil rights, 2006, p. 1).
Racial profiling in the USA
It is evident that racial profiling has taken place for many years. Cases of racial profiling are so rampant in the United States despite the fact that the criminal justice has been in place for many decades. This concern has arisen due to various complains raised by the affected groups. Currently, one's complexion makes him or her suspect of a criminal act which can lead to imprisonment. The civil rights division in the 1990's decided to address the problem of profiling by using some states like Los Angeles police department and the New Jersey state police (Travis, 1998, p. 513). Other neighboring states took an initiative of collecting information that would be relevant in addressing racial profiling.
At the beginnings of 2001, there were many reports of racial profiling and were addressed to the federal government. This led to the condemnation of the practice by the attorney general. It was more emphasized by the president at the same period who termed the action as unfit in a democratized society like United States. In the same year basing on the presidents speech, the End Racial Profiling Act was enacted in the bill that had more to do with profiling. First it looked at ensuring that the ban was put into action by both the judicial bodies and the federal government in general. Many people supported this bill but unfortunately September 11 bombing shed off all the gains made in earlier attempts to end racial profiling. Today, citizens bearing characteristics that are associated with terrorists are still segregated by the police, and are suspected with no crime motive. Anyone suspected to have an origin of Muslim, or Arab still go through the same suspicion. Bush government was preaching against terrorism yet what was happening to the Muslims, Arabs and south Asians was totally opposite. In fact, some people advocated for profiling of this group of people as a way of bringing terrorism to an end (Civil Rights, 2006).
Different cases and examples can be used to illustrate racial profiling. Some of the examples include treatments that colored people have experienced in the hands of traffic police, war on drugs, and in many other instances. Many drivers and motorists have innocently suffered from discrimination in administration of justice by police. It is notable that the African Americas have suffered a great deal from the oppression they go through in the hands of traffic police, as compared to other races. They even do not receive an explanation as to why they are arrested or stopped unlike the whites whose cases of being stopped are so minimal and if they occur, they are normally given an explanation (Bumgarner 2004, p. 299)
In October 1999, a musician with a Latin origin was arrested by a police in Los Angeles with allegations of having used the right turn lane. It is reported that he was searched after several miles from where he was alleged to have committed the crime. As if that was not enough, he was later interrogated over several other criminal offenses which were not even part of traffic offence. They later on handcuffed him and took him to jail after having suffered several injuries without any explanation (Civil Rights, 2006).
Racial profiling takes place in different ways;
(i) Driving while black or brown
Racial profiling while driving has been extensively explored by Robert Wilkins, one of the renowned researchers in this area. His findings show that enforcement of law and order is selectively used to stop the colored motorists. Basing on the complexion, colored drivers have shown that they can be stopped because they have a likelihood of dealing with illegal drugs, making them prime suspects in drug trafficking offences. Reports showed that as compared to other Americans, colored and other minorities had experienced several stops on the way as they drove. In 1999, there was a report which showed that African Americans had a possibility of being stopped 20% higher than those of white Americans. They also had a 50% higher to have been stopped more than once. It is shocking also to learn that the police were twice likely to check an African America compared to the white (Civil Rights, 2006).
Between 1995 and 1997, 70% of stops by the police were all comprised of Africans at Maryland. In Los Angeles, blacks make up only 10% of the total population of the country yet for the total number of people stopped by the police, they accounted for 18% in 2002 (Civil rights, 2006).
(ii) Stop and frisk tactics
This refers to racial profiling experienced by pedestrians as they walk along the road. This kind of treatment occurs due to the biasness or beliefs in police officers which are constructed along racial profiles. Statistics shows that of 175,000 cases of stops, 84% were accounted for by blacks and Hispanics from the year 1988 to 1999 and the small percentage accounted for by whites (Civil Rights, 2006).
(iii) Customs service profiling
This form of profiling refers to profiling that people experience at the port. The experience that blacks and the minorities go through at the port is devastating, as has been illustrated in different studies. Ms. Bradly in 1999 went through a devastating experience when her luggage was searched after which she was directed to a room for further search. She reports to have been mishandled by a female police officer who even went as far as touching her private parts. She also noticed that the number of blacks who were searched were extremely higher than those of the whites (Civil Rights, 2006).
(iv) Profiling in the immigration context
United States carries the record of having one of the largest numbers of immigrants. Immigration policies have often put out some groups leading to discrimination. This profiling occurs both at the border and even inside the country. This is whereby if an individual is black or Hispanic even police officers who are not concerned with immigrations stop people arbitrarily checking their documents like passports, yet this does not happen to the white race.
Consequences of racial profiling
Racial profiling in criminal justice system has negative consequences. Mistreatment that an individual experiences innocently goes against the rights of an individual. The effects are broad and can affect one in behavior or even emotionally. African Americans are forced to avoid some routes, avoid driving a certain kind of vehicles, and even disguise themselves by putting on certain kind of clothes so that the police may not notice them. It breeds segregation because the disadvantaged races choose to stay in areas where they can hardly experience the segregation under discussion (Civil Rights, 2006)
For those who are guilty especially the whites, their criminal lifestyle won't stop. This is because the black race seems to take much of the offences. It is surprising to learn that blacks take 12% of the total population of the United States yet they comprise of 11% of all those who are in imprison (Civil Rights, 2006).
Conclusion
There is a great need to fight against terrorism in the United States of America but still racial profiling is of great need to be addressed. As shown by various reports, racial profiling still accounts for racial segregation in the country and hence it is important to put in place measures to eliminate the problem. Measures taken by the government now will affect other generations to come. To stop the effects of racial profiling, all the forms of racial profiling should be done away with.
