Essay on Racial Profiling by Police - 1228 Words

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. Incarceration rates are a definite proof that racial discrimination occurs. â€Å"Incarceration rates in the United States have risen sharply since 1980†, stated Filip Spagnoli, â€Å"the racial distribution of inmates in the U.S. is highly negative for black Americans. Whereas they only make up 12% of the total U.S. population, they represent more than 40% of inmates†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Racial profiling is when someone’s race is used by law enforcement to assume criminal suspicions (Spagnoli, Filip). Law enforcement has used racial profiling to â€Å"help† prevent criminal ac tivity. For instance, a survey done by the department of justice when officers focused more on African-American and Latino drivers they found that less of them had drugs the when they least focused on white drivers (The Truth About Racial Profiling: FIVE FACTS). Some officers assume that Hispanics and African-Americans are carrying around illegal substances and weapons. This is not always true! As the survey revealed, most of the people who did have prohibited items were white Americans. Law enforcement should begin stopping drivers by suspicion not by their race. In another survey done by Ian Ayres and Jonathan Borowsky they had found very similar information. â€Å"We also found that, once people were stopped, officers were more likely to frisk, search, or arrest African-Americans and Latinos than whites†¦when these frisks and searches are substantially less likely to uncover weapons, drugs, or other types of contraband† (Borowsky, Ayres). Officers are spending more ti me on race than focusing on real criminals who are ousting the reasons why this country is remarkable. Other cases like these have been confirmed as well. â€Å"Relative to stopped whites, stopped blacks is 127% more likely andShow MoreRelatedRacial Profiling by Police Essay1259 Words   |  6 Pages    There are many types of racism in America that cause people to make accusations against law enforcement for discrimination. One type of racism is racial profiling. It is a strategy that encourages police officers to stop and question minorities only because of their race. It takes place in a variety of routine police encounters. Unmotivated searches occur everyday among the minority groups. Could you imagine waking up and being scared to walk outside your house because of the color ofRead More Racial Profiling by Police Essay1502 Words   |  7 Pagesof our lives, including media, culture, and even the legal system. 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