Passenger profiling was initiated in the late 1960s as a response to counteract terrorist threats to aviation security. It refers to the identification of potential hijacker and separating them from the general public (Sweet, 2009). By this definition, profiling allows aviation security authorities to segregate individuals that could be a potential threat and take countermeasures against them. Initially passengers were profiled using the behavioural methodology where behavioural characteristics were analysed to identify whether or not an individual posed a threat or not. Later systems such as CAPPS, CAPPS II and Secure Flight were established in an endeavour to better counteract terrorist threats than the early rudimentary behavioural profiling system. All these systems presented inherent flaws such as violation of passenger privacy, inaccuracies in data, cost-ineffectiveness and inefficiencies for passengers and airlines. Currently, the Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques profiling methodology is being widely used in an attempt to mitigate threats. This methodology has sparked much controversy among the public regarding passengers being profiled based on race. Passengers from South Asia and Middle East are greatly subjected to racial profiling. An unbiased experiment by a researcher further exemplifies this. Profiling has received much negative criticism that will be addressed in this essay.
Passenger profiling initially began in the late 1960s (DeGrave, 2004). Airlines began using profiling for the identification of possible hijackers after a Task Force discovered hijackers showed several characteristics that differentiated them from the general public (DeGrave, 2004). Following on from this, research was conducted ...
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...including: privacy issues, inaccuracies in database matching, cost inefficiency and racial prejudice. The current profiling systems in place are ineffective due to these inherent issues. Most passengers are wrongly identified as a threat and the passengers who are the actual threat are often missed. As suggested by Jacobson (2010) profiling could potentially be adequately applied by separating passengers that could virtually imply no risk from high-risk passengers. Also, RFID technology appears to be an efficient way to track passengers and could possibly be further explored. So, the profiling concept itself is not flawed, as its endeavour is to provide a safe operating environment to the aviation system by minimising potential threats. It is primarily lacking further research and development to enhance and address the issues in the current profiling methodologies.
Introduction Terrorism and racial profiling is nothing new in our society. Although some people would like to believe that it is nonexistent, it is still a major issue in today’s world. With that being said, my view on the subject is that racial profiling is going to continue to happen, whether we like it or not. I believe profiling isn’t necessarily meant to intentionally harm anyone, but is used as a tool to prevent terrorism. Past terroristic attacks have led to the many stereotypes and prejudices that our country has today.
Racial profiling is the tactic of stopping someone because of the color of his or her skin and a fleeting suspicion that the person is engaging in criminal behavior (Meeks, p. 4-5). This practice can be conducted with routine traffic stops, or can be completely random based on the car that is driven, the number of people in the car and the race of the driver and passengers. The practice of racial profiling may seem more prevalent in today’s society, but in reality has been a part of American culture since the days of slavery. According to Tracey Maclin, a professor at the Boston University School of Law, racial profiling is an old concept. The historical roots “can be traced to a time in early American society when court officials permitted constables and ordinary citizens the right to ‘take up’ all black persons seen ‘gadding abroad’ without their master’s permission” (Meeks, p. 5). Although slavery is long since gone, the frequency in which racial profiling takes place remains the same. However, because of our advanced electronic media, this issue has been brought to the American public’s attention.
"Racial Profiling: Definition." American Civil Liberties Union. N.p., 05 Nov. 2005. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. .
Racial profiling is the most idiotic and arrogant thing you can ever do as a person. Usually the people who are affected by racial profiling are minorities, however, any person can be a victim of racial profiling. Some may think that racial profiling is non-existent, however, I would like to bring the situation into focus and show that it is still in existence and has been observed in the past and now in the current year. Although, more than fifty percent of the time racial profiling is conducted it is against a man or woman of color; an African-American in other words. There are instances where a white person can be a victim as well. Trying not to say that there isn't any person out there that is exempted from racial profiling, because there isn't a single person who is just exempted from this cruel method of decision making. In my essay I will talk about racial profiling and what it is, however, you can't forget about where it happens and of course why. Several resolutions will be discussed in this essay to alleviate this problem.
The key to understanding racialized profiling is to understand what systemic discrimination and profiling mean. Systemic discrimination sometimes called systemic racism is defined as, “Patterns and practices… which, although they may not be intended to disadvantage any group, can have the effect of disadvantaging or permitting discrimination against… racial minorities” (Comack, 2012, p30). Profiling in policing is defined as,
Have you ever been followed by store officials or security while shopping in a department store? At first, all of the attention can be flattering but quickly becomes insulting once you realize they’re not following you to offer any assistance. Instead because of how you look you fit a certain profile that causes store officials to think you’ve come to their store to steal. This type of behavior is called racial profiling. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, racial profiling refers to the discrimination practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. Citizens need to be more aware of racial profiling and make laws that racial profiling should be illegal. Racial profiling is carried out by law enforcement airport security, and other security personnel that look to profile the minorities for no reason. Heather Sally Newton Driscoll ebscohost.com stated “The practice of profiling is rooted in centuries of discrimination and is based on stereotypes that have long been disproved. Profiling holds on entire population accountable for the committed by a small minority”.
Racial Profiling can happen to anyone, anywhere such as the streets, in the airports, or even just walking home. Racial profiling and the media influence an individual’s perspective on a trial. Racial Profiling is using someone’s race or ethnic background as suspicion for committing a crime. Evidence from past trials dating back to 1920s Sacco and Vanzetti trial to George Zimmerman’s trial in 2013 prove that racial profiling has existed for nearly a century. According to the article “The Quiet Racism in the Zimmerman Trial” by Steven Mazie, he states
Every day you see and hear about minorities groups complain about cops and their tactics against them stopping them while in traffic taking them in to custody or even getting kill over nothing. Racial Profiling is a common thing in this community and it is causing a lot of trouble. According to Minnesota House of Representatives analyst Jim Cleary, "there appear to be at least two clearly distinguishable definitions of the term 'racial profiling ': a narrow definition and a broad definition... Under the narrow definition, racial profiling occurs when a police officer stops, questions, arrests, and/or searches someone solely on the basis of the person 's race or ethnicity... Some ways to stop it is find out who is guilty of it, look at their
This definition leads us to discussion on what racial profiling has been over the years and how it cannot be combined with other aspects of discrimination. Racial profiling has been solely based on, (1)The use of race, ethnicity, or national origin and not (2) the use of an individual’s behavior or information that helps apprehend somebody who has been identified as being, or having been, engaged in criminal activity. (1) provides different investigative methods( race, ethnicity or national origin) while (2) tells us about investigative methods and the goals or outcomes of these investigative methods and uses specific information on suspicious activities like individual’s behavior. Including this contrast in the definition raises two problems. Even though, because of these classifications, this article would be concentrating on combining above two opinions which contribute to profiling. And concentrate why more blacks have been stopped in driving as compared to whites or more Muslims of Middle Eastern origin were stopped at airport as compared to other people.
Racial Profiling usually occurs when a combination of safety, public protection and stereotype are involve to judge a person. Racial profiling needs to be separated from criminal profiling which is based on actual behavior by a person and not a stereotype. The thing about stereotypes is that anyone can do it even people who are good and not bias. When examining ourselves and really look at our first judgment of people, it is noticed that our own assumptions and biases would lead many of us to realize that we have stereotyped people m...
Racial profiling has been a common controversy between law enforcement and communities, specifically those of a minority population. This activity has been ultimately allowed by federal and state governments as they benefit from the aid in pinpointing or otherwise targeting criminals or illegal aliens. Furthermore, racial profiling has become more of a commonly encountered practice especially after the September 11 attacks.
In the United States of America today, racial profiling is a deeply troubling national problem. Many people, usually minorities, experience it every day, as they suffer the humiliation of being stopped by police while driving, flying, or even walking for no other reason than their color, religion, or ethnicity. Racial profiling is a law enforcement practice steeped in racial stereotypes and different assumptions about the inclination of African-American, Latino, Asian, Native American or Arab people to commit particular types of crimes. The idea that people stay silent because they live in fear of being judged based on their race, allows racial profiling to live on.
The process of using behavioral evidence left at a crime scene to make inferences about the offender, including inferences about personality characteristics and psychopathology, is called criminal profiling. Around the country, several agencies rely on the minds of criminal psychologists to lead them in the right direction in finding the correct offender. Criminal profiling provides investigators with knowledge of the appearance and behavior of a potential criminal. Criminal profilers are primarily employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, most commonly known as the FBI. (Walker)
According to the Encarta Dictionary, Racial Profiling is the assumption of criminality among ethnic groups without probable cause. Since the September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center, racial profiling has been the temporary tactic used to stop terrorism. After more than ten years since implementing this practice, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has made little progress. Some American citizens are still skeptical of Middle Eastern and Muslim people even though TSA has caught no terrorists through racial profiling. Although racial profiling has the potential to catch terrorists, it should not be used because racial profiling can justify terrorist acts, it will not improve airport and airline security, and it is discrimination.
Eradicating terror in America has been, and should remain on the agenda as one of the main efforts of the United States government. Post 9/11, there has been a wide amount of change seen in security, particularly in airports around the country. Speaking with people about the differences of security in airports before and after 9/11, makes it obvious that the United States has made it a priority to minimize threats to public safety. Along with increased security in airports, there has been a surge of racial profiling of Muslims in America. Subsequent to the San Bernardino attacks in California, the issue of racial profiling as being effective and politically correct has been a topic of controversy. The term racial profiling, has recently been