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13.2: Racial Profiling Defined

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    81992
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    Racial profiling is stereotyping. In short, racial profiling is the act of suspecting criminal activity based solely on the color of person’s skin or their minority status or their ethnic origin (Warren, & Farrell, 2009).

    According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):

    'Racial profiling' refers to the practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Criminal profiling, generally, as practiced by police, is the reliance on a group of characteristics they believe to be associated with crime. Examples of racial profiling are the use of race to determine which drivers to stop for minor traffic violations (commonly referred to as 'driving while black or brown'), or the use of race to determine which pedestrians to search for illegal contraband.


    13.2: Racial Profiling Defined is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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