Racial Profiling in Policing

Paper Summary:

This research proposal examines and identifies racial profiling in policing in order to assess whether or not profiling is beneficial or harmful in nature. The researcher examines whether racial profiling in policing is an effective or necessary method for deterring crime and attempts to determine whether damaging consequences result from racial profiling activities.

From the Paper:

"Racial profiling may be defined as the practice of using race or ethnicity as a determining factor in a decision to stop or detain a suspect (Trende, 2000). In recent years the practice has drawn a great deal of attention among law enforcement agencies, government authorities, among citizens and among the media (Trende, 2000). There are few individuals that have defended the practice, but despite this many including individuals within law enforcement have admitted that racial profiling is a common practice (Trende, 2000).
Racial profiling among police agents often results in a disproportionate number of minorities or older citizens that are targeted by police; most commonly these individuals are stopped for traffic offenses or detained on suspicion for criminal behavior (Trende, 2000). In New Jersey for example Governor Christine Todd Whitman admitted "very frankly that racial profiling occurs in New Jersey" a fact further confirmed by state troopers who validated that they were in fact required to racially profile potential criminals (Trende, 2000: 331)."

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