Racial Profiling Witnessed in US and Police Reform for Addressing the Issue

Racial Profiling 

Despite constituting only a small proportion of the American population, the black community accounts for a majority of the prison population (The Sentencing Project, n.d). Various factors has been blamed for this reality. The efforts by successive American governments to tackle drug abuse and trade are among these factors. It is believed that law enforcement officials unfairly target male members of this community. These members are usually stopped and subjected to invasive body searchers despite offering no indications that they have committed crimes or intend to engage in criminal activity (Weatherspoon, n.d). The unfair targeting of individuals by law enforcement officials on the basis of race is the essence of racial profiling. Racial profiling has been blamed for the racial tensions that the US has witnessed. For instance, the nation has seen various incidents involving unarmed male members of the black community being gunned down by police officers (Weatherspoon, n.d). While the officers involved in these incidents argue that they believed that their personal safety was threatened, police agencies have been accused of using excessive force against members of the black community. In this essay, an exploration of racial profiling is offered. The essay makes the argument that reforming the police service holds the key to tackling the challenge of racial profiling. By understanding racial profiling it will be possible to develop strategies for tackling this problem. The question of racial profiling fits into the wider theme of my study as it represents the challenges that the contemporary world grapples with. 

Literature Reviewed

For this assignment, a wide range of sources were used. It is understood that not all sources are reliable or accurate. It is for this reason that careful scrutiny was carried out. All the sources cited in this paper valid, reliable and objective. The paper relies mostly on news reports from reputed media organizations. It can therefore be argued that the information gained from the news reports is valid and free of bias. Also, all the sources are relevant and support the thesis statement chosen for the paper. The credibility and accuracy of the information in the sources cited are the key strengths that the sources possess. The other strength is that the information obtained from these sources can easily be verified by consulting other sources. Perhaps the only weakness that can be found in the sources is that they are mainstream media organizations. These organizations often fail to offer comprehensive coverage about a particular issue. Overall, the sources are indeed credible and reliable. 

Racial Profiling Defined

Racial profiling is regarded as the discriminatory practices adopted by law enforcement officials where members of certain races or ethnicities are targeted (ACLU, n.d). Law enforcement officials arrest and conduct searches on individuals from these communities without any evidence that the individuals are involved in criminal activity. The ethnicities and race of these communities are the only bases used by law enforcement agencies (Weatherspoon, n.d). There are certain cases of racial profiling where religion plays an important role. As they target certain communities, law enforcement officials rely on particular features possessed by these communities that the officials associate with criminal behavior. The injustice that members of the black community in the United States have suffered highlights the danger posed by racial profiling. As mentioned earlier, members of this community make up a disproportionate portion of the US prison population. It is believed that of the 2.3 million who are in correctional facilities in the US, about one million are black (NAACP, n.d). This statistic makes clear the injustice that the black community continues to suffer as a result of racial profiling. Findings from scientific studies have provided insights on the extent of racial profiling in the US. In one study, it was observed that 63% of individuals whose vehicles were searched were African-American (Persico and Castleman, 2005). This statistic represents the prevalence of racial profiling in the US. 

It is true that police officers in the US are the main culprits behind racial profiling. However, there have been cases where members of the public have engaged in racial profiling. Across the world, members of the public report being targeted based on their race. For instance, migrants from other European communities have suffered xenophobic attacks in England (Fox News, 2016). Locals in this country blame the migrants for the high unemployment rate and other economic challenges that England grapples with. There have been cases where migrants have encountered difficulties in their efforts to secure accommodation. Landlords refuse to let migrants use their facilities despite having no information that indicates that the migrants do not make good tenants (Perry, 2012). They deny migrants access to their facilities simply because they are of different races or ethnicities. The case of migrants in England represents the adverse impacts that racial profiling has on relations among different communities. 

The black community is not alone in suffering racial profiling. The Muslim community has also shared in the pain that results from racial profiling. The pain endured by this community can be blamed on the terrorist threats that the world faces today (Gallup, n.d). In the past year, numerous western nations have witnessed devastating terrorist attacks. For instance, dozens of Americans died in a night club. This incident was blamed on an individual with terrorist ties. Such nations as France have also suffered the devastation caused by terrorism. This nation has seen multiple attacks that have left dozens dead (Euro News, 2016). In all these attacks, individuals with terrorist ties have received the blame. The larger Muslim community has also shared in the blame. There are people who believe that the Islamic faith promotes violence particularly against communities who do not subscribe to this faith. Following the attacks in France, the US and other Western nations, a surge in Islamophobic sentiment was recorded. Members of the Muslim community suffered personal attacks with some cases of violence being reported. The pain endured by the Muslim community in Western countries is a reflection of racial profiling perpetrated by regular members of the public. This goes to show that police agencies are not the sole perpetrators of racial profiling. 

No aspect of human life seems to have escaped the impacts of racial profiling. The delivery of education has also suffered as a result of racial profiling. In late 2015, a teen in Texas was arrested after he showed up in school with a clock that his teacher mistook for a bomb (Gershman, 2016). There are some who argue that the concerned teacher believed that the clock was indeed a bomb. There are others who hold that irrational fear inspired by racism was behind the teacher’s action. Regardless of the truth, an argument can be made that racial profiling played a role. It is generally believed that the fact that the teenager was from the Muslim community is to blame for his arrest. Had a student from another religious community carried a similar clock to class, it is unlikely that they would have faced arrest. The case of the Texas teenager underscores the fact that racial profiling continues to threaten harmonious interactions and justice. Therefore, deliberate action should be taken by policy makers to create environments where individuals are judged on the basis of their conduct and character and not ethnicity, race or religion. 

Of all Western nations, the United States seems to have the greatest struggle with racial profiling. It has been noted that the US system somewhat teaches its citizens to examine racial minorities through the lens of race. Apart from the black community whose members have been victims of police brutality, the Latino community has also borne the brunt of excessive and extrajudicial use of force by police officers. This community has reported a number of cases where young men are gunned down by police officers (Whalen and Zoufonoun, 2016). The community has also been the subject of racial profiling perpetrated by the public. It is common for the members of this community to be accused of robbing Americans of employment opportunities. It is true that most members of the Latino community move to the US in the hope of finding employment. However, it is rather unfair to assume that all members of this community perform simple household chores for meagre pay. The American people need to revise how they regard racial minorities and migrants if the challenge of racial profiling is to be tackled effectively. 

Police Reform for Addressing Racial Profiling

As mentioned above, racial profiling has not spared any aspect of human life. This means that humanity needs to explore all options in the efforts to eradicate racial profiling. However, it is rather impractical and unrealistic to address racial profiling entirely. Communities can only focus on the cases of racial profiling that pose the greatest threat. Racial profiling that is committed by law enforcement agencies undoubtedly requires the greatest attention. This is because the consequences of racial profiling perpetrated by the policies are graver. For instance, thanks to racial profiling, dozens of unarmed black men have died after being shot by police officers. Also, racial profiling can be blamed for the high number of black men in American correctional facilities. Therefore, greater focus needs to be placed on tackling racial profiling within the police force. Police reform is one of the solutions that can be implemented to address racial profiling (Ferner, 2015). In the discussion that follows, reasons why police reforms hold the best promise for tackling racial profiling are offered.

The fact that an increasing number of law enforcement agencies have adopted reforms to tackle racial profiling is an indication that police reform is indeed effective. It is for this reason that law enforcement agencies need to embrace these reforms. The reforms have focused on changing the leadership of law enforcement agencies. The leadership has been blamed for failing to take action to ensure that members of certain communities are not fairly targeted. The US city of Chicago has grappled with racial tensions for years. The city’s police department has come under fire for the deaths caused by its officers against members of the black community (Berman and Guarino, 2015). Following an incident involving the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, a black teenager, there was an outcry from the public. In response to this outcry and in a bid to restore faith in the state’s police service, the city’s Mayor fired the police boss (Berman and Guarino, 2015). The Mayor is only one of other leaders who have moved to tackle racial profiling by replacing the heads of police departments. It appears that the change in leadership of police departments is effective given that numerous cities have adopted this measure. Since this measure seems effective, it should be adopted across the United States. This measure should particularly be implemented in areas that have a history of tensions between police officers and certain communities.

The other reason why police reform holds promise for addressing racial profiling lies in the measures taken by the executive arm of the US government. The Obama administration seems alive to the challenge of racial profiling. In response to the shooting of unarmed black men, the Obama government introduced policies where police officers would be required to carry cameras that record their interactions with members of the public (Jackson, 2015). This measure was not necessarily aimed at tackling racial profiling. Instead, it was instituted with the aim of ensuring accountability on the part of police officers. It is much more difficult for a police officer to be reckless as he responds to a situation when his actions are being monitored. The camera policy that the Obama government adopted seems to be bearing fruit. The government spent millions of dollars equipping police officers across the nation with body cameras (NBC, 2015). These cameras have been vital in the campaign that has pushed for police accountability. For example, footage from police cameras has been used to provide insights into altercations between police officers and members of the black community. It is feared that the footage obtained from these cameras do not enhance the delivery of justice since the judicial system is rigged in favor of police officials. There have been numerous cases where juries have chosen to not pursue criminal charges against police officers despite overwhelming evidence which indicate that the officers committed crimes (Liebelson and Marans, 2015). However, the cameras can still help victims to pursue justice. This is why police reform is needed to ensure that as many police departments as possible are provided with body cameras. 

There have been efforts by the academic and scientific communities to provide insights into the measures that can be taken to address the challenge of racial profiling. These efforts have led to the establishment of police reform as an effective measure against racial profiling. It has been established that the question of trust is at the center of the issue of racial profiling (Farrall et al., 2016). Members of such groups as the black community do not trust that the police can be fair and objective in their exchanges with members of this community. On the other hand, police officers are convinced that members of this community are involved in criminal activity (NIJ, 2016). While both parties in this issue are to blame for the problem of racial profiling, the police are better placed to address it. This can be done through initiatives that are aimed at building trust. For example, police departments can set up community outreach programs. Through these programs, the police can collaborate with the public to tackle crime. While the communities offer information that allows officers to identify crime hotspots, the police officers assure the communities that their safety is guaranteed. Community policing initiatives have been shown to be very effective (Braga, Papachristos and Hureau, 2014). In one study, it was found that out of 25 cases of interventions involving community policing, improvements in the control of crime were observed in 20 cases (Braga, Papachristos and Hureau, 2012). Other than enhancing public safety, these initiatives have proved vital for maintaining trust and harmonious interactions between communities and the police force. Since police reform is backed by scientific evidence as an effective strategy for tackling racial profiling, its adoption should be encouraged. 

The public plays an important role in facilitating police work. Thanks to the support that they receive from the public, law enforcement agencies are able to tackle crime more effectively. On the question of racial profiling, the public has made clear its opposition to this practice. The public seems to support the calls for the police to embrace the ideals of responsible policing in their interactions with minority communities (Morrison, 2015). The police force is being urged to respond to the demands for reform from the public. The force has also been advised to adopt a number of reforms that promise to address racial profiling. For instance, calls have been issued for special prosecutors to be appointed to handle cases involving police brutality . Also, it has been suggested that the police should deal with the implicit bias that sees them unfairly target minority communities (Morrison, 2015). The fact that the public is demanding action is clear indication that the public desperately wishes to see the police service improve its relations with minority communities. The police service needs to honor these wishes by implementing the reforms that have been put forward. 

Victims of injustice perpetrated by police officers often complain that the legal system fails them (Resnick, 2016). As mentioned earlier, police officers involved in the shooting of black men have escaped trial and this has been blamed on flaws in the US justice process. Legislators across the US understand that there is need to restore faith in the American judicial system. For example, legislators from Vermont introduced a bill whose primary purpose was to address racial profiling (Aloe, 2016). It was hoped that through police reform, racial profiling would be eliminated. While it remains unclear if this has materialized, it can be argued that Vermont is better protected from the effects of racial profiling. The leaders of this state have been credited with enhancing tolerance among different communities (Gill, 2016). It is this culture of tolerance that has since Vermont emerged as a state that is friendly to minorities. The tolerance that prevails in Vermont is not necessarily the result of the bill introduced by the state’s legislators. However, it can be said that the entire Vermont leadership is committed to promoting tolerance and tackling racial profiling. Such states as Vermont serve as evidence of the effectiveness of police reform. Since the reforms seem effective in Vermont, they should be adopted across the United States. 

It is common for individuals to shift blame for a mistake to some other party. This is what has been witnessed on the issue of racial profiling in the United States. For example, when a police officer shoots a black man, the officer is usually quick to point out that he thought that the man was a threat to his life. It has been established numerous times that black men who have been victims of brutality posed no threat to police officers. Their only ‘crime’ was that they were born in the black community. Given this reality, it is quite surprising when police officers admit that racism is endemic and call for reform. For instance, there is a police chief in Cincinnati who has initiated a community outreach program in an effort to address racism in all its forms (Maqbool, 2015). This officer has cultivated warm relations with members of the black community. His efforts have proven effective and are being embraced by other officers. The case of this officer indicates that even the police service understands that reform is needed if racial profiling and other forms of racism are to be weeded out of American society. 

Ethical Outcomes

Racism and racial profiling in particular are issues that concern social relations in the United States and across the globe. However, there are some ethical perspectives that define how these issues are examined. In the discussion above, it has been suggested that police reform should be implemented in a bid to curb racial profiling. It is expected that the reforms will improve the relationships between the police and communities and that there will be a general decline in crime. There are also some ethical outcomes that the implementation of the police reforms will have. In the discussion below, some of these outcomes are explored. 

The implementation of the police reforms described above promises to transform not just the police service but the entire justice system in the United States. It is understood that racial profiling is an integral component of jury selection (Lever, 2009). Attorneys are in the habit of selecting jury members who are likely to vote in their favor. For instance, an attorney representing a white police officer accused of shooting a black man would prefer a jury composed mostly of white men who are sympathetic of police officers. The selection of jury members on the basis of race has been blamed for the inability of the justice system to deliver justice (Lever, 2009). If the United States successfully carries out police reforms and weeds out racial profiling entirely, it can be expected that the nation’s justice system will be enhanced. The ethical questions that arise from the use of racial profiling when selecting jury members will be answered. 

Several theories have been developed to shed light on racial profiling. According to one of these theories, racial profiling results from the social injustices that certain communities suffer (Bou-Habib, 2011). For example, the black community is generally poor and this can be blamed on the failed economic policies adopted by successive governments. The high poverty levels in this community are in part responsible for the high crime rates that are reported in this community. Since higher crime rates are reported in black communities, police officers are justified in their use of racial profiling. The relationship between racial profiling and social injustice is interesting and it raises some questions that concern ethics. Is it proper for the American society, through the police force, to target the black community when it is the same society that is responsible for the crimes that members of this community are targeted for? As the US implements the police reforms identified earlier, this ethical question will become easier to respond to. Therefore, the implementation of the reforms has the impact of addressing an ethical question that the US has been unable to answer for years. 

In conclusion, the United States continues to grapple with the challenge of profiling. Members of certain ethnic, racial and religious communities are unfairly targeted. Racial profiling has sparked racial tensions and eroded the progress that the US has made in its efforts to promote harmony and oneness. In the discussion above, police reform has been offered as a possible solution to racial profiling. There is need for the nation’s police force to institute changes that will bolster relations with communities while boosting the war against crime. These reforms have already been adopted and have proven effective. The public and the federal government have also made clear that they support reforms. Those responsible for policy formulation and implementation need to heed the calls for reform. As the US adopts these reforms, it will be able to create an environment where no American is victimized because of their race, religion or ethnicity. 

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