final soc 203

Running Head: RACIAL PROFILING 1

RACIAL PROFILING 5

Racial Profiling

Shauna Heatherwick

SOC 203

Instructor Dreeke

March 16, 2015

RACIAL PROFILING

Introduction

Research conducted in the United States of America revealed that 47% of the respondents recognize that someone was treated unfairly by a police. Racial profiling in the United States is mainly through the law enforcement and it is a constant threat where the non-white citizens are always viewed as the law-breakers in most instances. By non-white I mean, the African Americans, the Hispanics and the Latinos. Conducting a census of juveniles and prisons will reveal that the African America are the majority in those correction facilities the Latinos followed by Hispanics and the then the whites (Mark, & Susan, 2008).

This is not just I mere coincidence that these people who belong to certain races just love to get into trouble, it either they are not being given an opportunity to explain themselves, or it is just assumed they are guilty and that is racial profiling. From the dictionary I checked the meaning of race and profile and when combined I came up with this definition for racial profiling; it is the use of race, culture and ethnicity as basis for suspecting an individual of having committed an offense. Racial profiling is a major concern in the United States mainly because it has the highest number of immigrants (Chris, 2009).

Problem Statement

Racial profiling is a problem that is slowly eating away the pride of the United States. 47% of respondents who participated in a research know that someone has been treated unfairly by the police. This means if racial profiling is not looked at, many immigrants working in America will continue to suffer yet they are innocent or they have just committed petty crimes that do not deserve the level of punishment they are given.

Why this problem qualifies as a social problem

Racial profiling qualifies to be social problems because research shows a big number of people suffer because of this kind of profiling. As mentioned earlier 47% of respondents who represent the larger United States population recognize that someone was treated unfairly by the police. The question I keep asking myself is why do they know someone was treated unfairly? I came to realize, it is either they have been treated unfairly, meaning they know this from their own experience or someone close to them who cannot lie went through the same or they witnessed it happening. 47% is certainly a very large number and it almost represents half of the country’s population making this a national disaster that should be looked at before it destroys the country’s reputation (Julia, 2008).

The sociological theory or theories that may explain this social problem

The sociological theory that can explain this social problem of racial profiling systematic racism. Systematic racism is a sociological theory for comprehending the part that race and racism plays in United States general publicand it was established by Joe Feagin and accurately presented and explained in his book Racist America: Roots, Current Realities, & Future Reparations (2000). He uses evidence, history and demographic statistics to create this theory that asserts that racial profiling is a big threat to the country (Feagin, 2000).

The individual and social implications of this problem

Many people have been affected by this racial profiling and just like African Americans throughout the height of Jim Crow; Latinos in Southern States of America are living in fear of being targeted by the law enforcement agencies as they go about their lives. A perfect example are at the police checkpoints where most minority people like Latinos complain of being unfairly treated especially in rural areas such as north of Alabama where 55% of respondents claim that police pull them over and confiscate the money claiming it is drug money with no proof (Julia, 2008).

Currently in a study by the Pew Hispanic Center, approximately one in ten Hispanic adults, native-born United States citizens and 10 percent of immigrants, recounted that in the previous authorities of some sort had stopped them and enquired about their immigration. This issue will discourage immigrants from working in America and that may affect the country’s economy and furthermore, it may lead to hate related crimes which will not be a good thing for the country. The people should be united to fight against terrorism and boost the economy of the country rather than fighting each other on the basis of race (Marcelo, 2008).

Social scientist comments on racial profiling

Social scientist have claimed that racial profiling is real and it happens and the police have escalated it with the perception that individuals will not likely cooperate with the individuals they do not trust and may develop doubts regarding all aspects of the criminal justice system.

Conclusion

In my final remarks, racial profiling is a major problem and it will only be solved when people especially the law enforcing agencies changing their perception about the minority. Not all Latinos are drug traffickers and not all blacks are violent, everyone has a right to be judged fairly and not by the general feeling of their culture (Feagin, 2000).

References

Mark, H. L., & Susan, M., (2008).National Survey of Latinos: Hispanics See Their Situation in the U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, p. 9.

Marcelo, B., (2008). "Immigration Activists Battle Harsh Laws Across U.S.," New America Media.

Julia, P., (2008). "Immigrant, Pregnant, Is Jailed Under Pact," The New York Times.

Sarah, O., (2009)."Wake Sheriff Wants to Keep Deportation Program," The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer.

Chris E., (2009). "Davidson County Sheriff Addresses White Supremacist Group," The (Nashville) Tennessean, The Tennessean.

Feagin, J. B., (2000). Racist America: Roots, current realities, and future reparations. New York: Routledge.