Racial profiling is one of the most harmful practices that police can engage in, endangering the civil rights of millions of Americans. However, proving racial profiling can be difficult, in part because people do not recognize it when they see it. So, what exactly is racial profiling, and how can it be harmful to average people?
What is Racial Profiling?
In simple terms, racial profiling is when police officers choose to specifically target certain individuals on the basis of their race, subjecting them to unjustified searches, seizures, or arrests. Even though it is illegal, this practice is disturbingly common: according to studies on police violence, more than a third of pedestrian stops conducted by police in Philadelphia were done without reasonable suspicion of a crime. This leads to significant civil rights breaches.
Why Do Police Officers Engage in Racial Profiling?
Officers will often engage in this practice because they mistakenly believe people of certain races are more likely to commit crimes than others, thus justifying intervention. They will simply see someone of a specific race (or a group of people of a specific race) and assume, without reason, that they must be committing a crime. This may lead them to become increasingly aggressive and hostile to try to find evidence of a crime that never happened.
How is Racial Profiling Harmful?
When people become the victims of racial profiling, they are often subjected to unjustified police action. They may be physically restrained or arrested without cause, charged with crimes they did not commit, and subjected to police brutality when they attempt to resist the illegal arrest. Even if they can ultimately fight their arrest and have charges dismissed, it can still cost them a great deal of time, money, and unnecessary stress. If they are not able to fight their arrest, they may spend months or years in prison for no reason.
What Should You Do if You Are the Victim of Racial Profiling?
If you have been stopped, searched, or arrested due to racial profiling, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. A civil rights attorney with experience handling racial profiling cases can help you to determine what course of action might be best for you and help you to explore all your potential options. Do not wait too long to speak to a lawyer, because the longer you wait, the harder it may be to get you the justice you deserve. Williams Cedar is a law firm dedicated to helping clients with personal injury, environmental law, and civil rights cases. We work with clients who have been injured due to exposure to environmental toxins, including veterans and their loved ones. If you need legal assistance due to toxic exposure or other related matters, please give us a call at our New Jersey and Pennsylvania offices at (215) 557-0099, or visit our contact page.