What Is Racial Profiling Wrong

There have been many attempts to make racial profiling illegal, but all have failed. Racial profiling is defined as suspecting an individual of a wrongdoing based solely on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin (Racial Profliling: Definition 2). Racism spreads throughout all dimensions of life in American society; therefore, the history of racial profiling is extensive, but it was at an all-time high after the September 11th attacks (Persistence of racial and ethnic profiling in the United States: a follow-up report to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 10). It can be used in both positive and negative aspects, but is mostly used negatively. Racial profiling negatively effects society and the very existence of racial profiling is erroneous, discriminatory, and unjustifiable.

Since way back in the day, racial and ethnic minorities have received a good amount of exposure to the police. In the recent times, people have been attaching the term “racial profiling” to the practice of picking out Blacks and other racial and ethnic groups for increase of police exposure in hopes of preventing and reducing crime. While I was doing research I read a poll and it said that 46.8% of respondents felt that the relations between Blacks and Whites will always be a problem. I thought that was a really interesting poll in my opinion and I agree with it only half way. A study conducted by Higgins took a New York poll that included a large sample of Hispanics. The poll concluded, “Blacks were more likely than other groups to express the view that racial profiling was widespread. Blacks also were more likely to view racial profiling as unjustified. They also were more likely to believe that they had been profiled. Hispanics also were more likely than non- Hispanics to believe that racial profiling was pervasive. (Higgins 14) In 2004 the data

Since the birth of our nation, racial profiling has been an issue longstanding and troubling among minority groups and still continues to exhibit severe consequences in communities.

According to the 11 Facts about Racial Discrimination, “The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics concluded that an African American male born in 2001 has a 32% chance of going to jail in his lifetime, while a Latino male has a 17% chance, and a white male only has a 6% chance” (11 Facts about Racial Discrimination 1). Racial profiling, or discriminating against a whole group of people based on their race, is an unjust act and a big problem in our society today. Arresting people because of how they look like, or what they believe in is absurd. According to ACLU, “Racial Profiling refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual 's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin” (ACLU 1). Although law enforcement assumes they are doing their job, they need to remain objective and fair in all situations, because they are violating rights, lacking protection and risking lives.

Racial profiling is a controversial issue because although police use it to prevent crime, the opposing view claims that innocent people are stopped for no logical reason making them feel unequal. In fact, in the article “I was Racially Profiled in My Own Driveway” by Doug Glanville, is an example of why people oppose this, it shows how a police officer stopped and questioned a black man (himself) shoveling his own driveway even when it was out of his own jurisdiction. Little did the police know but the man was Doug Glanville, a retired MLB player, trying to clear out snow. However, not knowing who Glanville was, the police was under the impression that Glanville was out in the neighborhood trying to make money. Nonetheless, as soon as the police officer found out that Glanville was shoveling his own driveway of his household, he paces away. As Glanville clarifies, “After a few minutes, he headed back to his vehicle. He offered no apology, just an empty encouragement to enjoy my shoveling. And he was gone” (Glanville 8). What Glanville is really saying here is that a cop went out of his jurisdiction just to confront Glanville because he is black and was in a wealthy neighborhood. This ultimately ruined Glanville’s day by wiping off his smile since he had been racially profiled as a suspicious suspect to the police. This is a clear example on why people are against the use of

Second, police in our country do racial profiling. This practice of law enforcement is morally wrong and personally sickening. Racial Profiling is the idea that just because someone is a different race automatically makes that one person a suspect. Racial Profiling goes against everything that the United States Constitution is about. The constitution is about freedom, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. Our law enforcement is put into place to serve and protect the innocent. The constitution protects us of unlawful search and seizers as well. Racial profiling makes our law enforcement give in their minds probable cause when there really is not any in the first place. Also, it goes against the United States Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union and American Civil Liberites Union Foundation said, “Racial profiling is a longstanding and deeply troubling national problem despite claims that the United States has entered a “post-racial era.” It occurs every day, in cities and towns across the country, when law enforcement and private security target people of color for humiliating and often frightening detentions, interrogations, and searches without evidence of criminal activity and based on perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. Racial profiling is

Some Americans may consider the pros of racial profiling. Amongst some of the argued pros, is in the case of

Racial profiling is still an ongoing issue that occurs and such an issue has led to many problems for the minority groups of this country. Whether it be African Americans, Indians, Asians, Mexicans, or Muslims, all have faced profiling at some point in time. The problems caused by this controversial subject include the impending distrust between black communities and law enforcement, unfair treatment towards all minorities by law enforcement, verbal and physical abuse of minorities by police officers which can sometimes lead to death, emotional unstableness of the victims whom have faced such a terrible judgement, and the negative impact it has on children of the minority groups.

Racial Profiling, it’s been the buzzword of the decade, its being talked about every time the news is on, it’s thrown around high-schools more often than test answers, it’s what George Zimmerman was accused of doing to Trayvon Martin, and it’s what Darren Wilson was accused of doing to Michael Brown. Everyone seems to have an opinion on Racial Profiling these days, some arguing that its morally right or wrong, others that its statistically supported or disproved, and many people argue over both. In a room of fifty people if you ask what they think about it you’ll get fifty different answers. After the recent incidents in New York and Ferguson that have made Racial Profiling the new poster child of every single media outlet, and after hearing so much about it I decided it was time for me to figure out what exactly Racial Profiling is and come up with my own answer to the million dollar question; should Racial Profiling be allowed as a tool of the police in their investigations?

Racial profiling is usually seen as a way to increase safety. However, this is not always the case; in most cases it promotes negative thoughts about the race being targeted. As mentioned by Deborah Hellman, one

Before any argument can be made against racial profiling, it is important to understand what racial profiling is. The American Civil Liberties Union, defines racial profiling as "the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin"(Racial Profiling: Definition). Using this definition we can determine that racial profiling excludes any evidence of wrong-doing and relies solely on the characteristics listed above. We can also see

Throughout history, there has always been a separation between races, and as our nation progresses, racism has taken the form of racial profiling. Often used as a technique to prevent crime, racial profiling only serves to unreasonably accuse individuals of color of heinous crimes, perpetuating societies longstanding fears. There are many arguments that racial profiling doesn’t exist, and people of color are only perpetuating the idea that they are constantly victimized, but based on past and current events, it is foolish to think racial profiling comes down to just that. By comparing the treatment of those of color, to those who are not, the blatant fact that racial profiling exists is clear to see.

To determine whether racial profiling is morally wrong, it must be clear as to what it is and what it does. Racial profiling is the use of race as at least one factor in determining whether or not to investigate someone and how thoroughly to investigate them. It involves practices of unreasonable search and seizures because of a person’s race even when there is no logical reason to believe that particular person is guilty of anything. In this paper, I will consider an argument for the conclusion that racial profiling is morally wrong because it involves unreasonable search and seizures because of a person’s race and not their behavior. I will then consider the objection that racial profiling can be morally acceptable, when it is rational. I conclude that racial profiling promotes discrimination and therefore is morally wrong.

Individuals all around the world are faced with being racially profiled. For example the individuals that are racially profiled are usually people nonwhites. They are racially profiled because of how one person with their race has made a negative connotation with their ethnicity. The police are the ones, who usually are racially profiling others because of how a person may look “suspicious”. Although, racial profiling allows some sense of security, the people that are harmed are traumatized; therefore racial profiling needs to be stopped.

Racial profiling has become a severe obstacle in the U.S. today though most Americans know very little of this vital issue. Every day, people are being pulled over, harassed, and even killed for being of a certain race. There are new laws that politicians are trying to pass that promote racial discrimination. Racial profiling is immoral and does not increase public safety.