Racial Profiling
Racial Profiling within America’s Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system of America is deeply scarred with racial bias. Crimes are being committed and, in turn, are resulting with innocent people doing hard-time. Thankfully, newfound methods of appealing court rulings are finding justice for these minorities; however, the results are as shocking as the crimes being committed. When it was found that the majority of successful appeals were of minorities, the true defects of the system was apparent. The minority community is being critically judged for things they’re not doing. Throughout the last decade lawmakers have be aiding the racial profiling scene. Arizona legislature passed a law allowing for an officer to demand papers of any person that proved their legal citizenship. The law, intending to lower the illegal immigrants in Arizona, became a symbol for racial profiling within our government. President Obama strongly opposed the passing of the law saying that it threatened “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe” (Archibold). It is a very rare occasion where the President speaks out about state legislature, proving the enormity of the law and its regards to human rights in America. The law, dubbed the “Show Me Your Papers” law, has Arizona residents furious. Faulting someone of being illegal, purely based on their appearance is a very subjective issue. Someone with a last name of Garcia or Rodriquez is much more likely to be suspected of being in the country illegally rather than someone with the last name of Smith. Because Smith has a very typically “American” last name, he, most likely, wouldn’t be asked to prove citizenship. This is a perfect example of the kind of profiling that Arizonians are concerned about. Not only have lawmakers been creating laws supporting racial profiling, but laws such as the “Stand your
Cited: Archibold, Randal. “Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration” NYtimes.com April 23, 2012 January 30, 2013. Childress, Sarah. “Is There Racial Bias in ‘Stand your Ground’ Law?” PBS.org, July 31, 2012 January 30, 2013 ACLU ACLU.org, December 17, 2012. Web. American Civil Liberties Union January 30, 2013 Wood, Mary. “Study of First 200 DNA Exonerations Shows Flawed Criminal System” law.virginia.edu, July 23, 2007. Web February 2, 2013