If police were investigating a predominantly African American street gang for involvement in drug sales?

Question

would this be considered racial profiling? would it be considered profiling? Explain the difference between racial profiling and biased based profiling.

Answer 1

It depends upon who you are asking. For example, Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton would call it racial profiling if the wind blew in the wrong direction. In reality, it is law enforcement. Nothing more.

Answer 2

If the police went after the gang because there was clear evidence the gang was engaged in illegal activities, then the racial make-up of the gang is irrelevant.

If the police ignored more dangerous gangs, or more serious crimes, because of the racial make-up of the targeted gang, that would be racial profiling.

If the police targeted individuals as suspects for being in a gang, solely based on the race of those individuals without an reasonable grounds to suspect gang involvement, that would also be racial profiling.

Answer 3

In a nutshell, if race was the predominant reason a person was being detained or arrested, then it could be unlawful profiling. However, CRIMINAL profiling is perfectly lawful.

If the police are dealing with a street gang known to be slinging dope, and the make-up of the gang just happens to be black, this is perfectly legitimate. If they have two street gangs - one white, one black with both are slinging dope in the same manner - and law enforcement ONLY targets the black gang, then an argument can be made for unlawful profiling ... maybe.

The topic is much more involved, but, essentially, race CAN be an element for the reason of the contact, detention, arrest, or investigation, it simply cannot generally be the primary determinant.

- Carl

Answer 4

yes im pretty sure that would be racial profilling
racial profiling as i know it is when people pick out a group of people and say certain things or asume things about them.
regualar profiling is just looking for one certaint person im guessing,