Racial Profiling in America

by Del Carmen, Alejandro

• ISBN13: 9780131146945
• ISBN10: 0131146947
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-26
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Unique in both its scope and focus,Racial Profiling in Americais a "must read" to anyone interested in this contemporary issue.Offering a comprehensive view of the topic, the author addresses the origins, components, dilemmas, and challenges surrounding racial profiling. Utilizing current research and statistics, the book offers a balanced presentation that moves beyond one point of view to address the complexities involved with this particular issue. Filled with academic discussion and personal anecdotes, the book appeals to a diverse audience and provides a broad overview of racial profiling in America today.Anyone involved in law enforcement or interested in racial profiling.

Author Biography

Alejandro del Carmen was born in the small town of Jinotepe, Nicaragua.  His family fled to the United States in 1979, at the end of one of the most violent civil wars in the history of the Western Hemisphere.  At the time of his arrival, Dr. del Carmen spoke very little English but he was quick to grasp the language and learn about the customs of his adoptive nation.  After living in several U.S. cities, the del Carmen family moved to Miami, Florida where they resided for several years.  It was in Miami that Dr. del Carmen attended high school and college.  Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the Florida International University, he attended the Florida State University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, where he earned a master’s and Ph.D. degrees.

 

            Dr. del Carmen’s childhood experiences in large part, shaped his decision to become a criminologist.  Having been exposed to the horrors of war and the dehumanizing experience of being an immigrant, he chose a profession that promotes an environment conducive to ideological tolerance and academic freedom. He firmly believes that the hope of humanity rests on the shoulders of those commissioned to shape the minds of future leaders.

 

            Currently, Dr. del Carmen is an associate professor and chair of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of Texas at Arlington.  Dr. del Carmen has trained all the chiefs of police in the state of Texas on matters relevant to racial profiling. He has authored numerous books and academic manuscripts published in internationally recognized scholarly journals.

 

Dr. del Carmen currently lives in Texas with his wife and two children.  Aside from spending time with his family, Dr. del Carmen enjoys listening to the immortal sounds of Frank Sinatra. 

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction to Racial Profiling	p. 1
The Jim Crow Era	p. 1
The Immigration Era	p. 3
Cesare Lombroso	p. 8
William Sheldon	p. 9
The Chicago School	p. 10
Drug Courier and Skyjacker Profiles	p. 10
New Jersey Highways	p. 12
Driving While Black	p. 13
References	p. 16
The Bureau of Justice Statistics Study	p. 17
The BJS Controversy	p. 18
Face-to-Face Contacts	p. 18
Reasons for Traffic Stops	p. 20
Search Patterns	p. 25
Outcome of Searches	p. 26
Use of Force	p. 28
Interpreting the Data	p. 30
References	p. 30
Law Enforcement: Historical and Cultural Perspectives	p. 31
Law Enforcement: Introduction	p. 32
History	p. 33
The Working Personality and Police Culture	p. 40
Organizational Structure	p. 41
Chiefs' Perspective	p. 42
Officers' Perspective	p. 44
Overall Perspectives on Profiling	p. 46
References	p. 46
Civil Rights and Racial Profiling	p. 48
Introduction	p. 48
The History of Slavery	p. 49
Anti-Slavery Society	p. 50
The Underground Railroad	p. 51
The Civil War	p. 52
Post-Civil War Era and Black Codes	p. 53
The Fourteenth Amendment	p. 53
The First Reconstruction Act	p. 54
The Civil Rights Movement	p. 54
The Montgomery Bus Boycott	p. 55
Rosa Parks	p. 55
The Montgomery Improvement Association	p. 56
Desegregation Plans	p. 56
Beyond the Strike	p. 58
Sit-Ins	p. 59
The Black Vote	p. 59
The March	p. 60
The Second March in Selma	p. 61
The NAACP	p. 62
The ACLU	p. 64
Summary	p. 65
References	p. 67
Critical Issues in Racial Profiling	p. 68
The Collection of Data	p. 69
Data Accuracy	p. 70
Mechanisms of Data Collection	p. 71
Baselines	p. 72
Searches	p. 74
Analyzing Data	p. 75
Identifying Racial Profiling	p. 75
Summary	p. 77
References	p. 77
The Texas Experience	p. 79
The Requirements of the Texas Racial Profiling Law	p. 83
References	p. 90
Racial Profiling in the Era of Homeland Security	p. 91
Racial Profiling Trends	p. 92
Airport Security and Racial Profiling	p. 94
USA Patriot Act and Racial Profiling	p. 97
U.S. Customs and Racial Profiling	p. 98
Herbert Packer's Due Process and Crime Control Model	p. 101
References	p. 102
Racial Profiling Case Law	p. 103
U.S. Supreme Court Cases	p. 103
Appellate Cases	p. 110
United States v. Travis	p. 110
State Court Cases	p. 112
Peso Chavez et al. v. Illinois State Police	p. 114
References	p. 115
States Respond to Racial Profiling	p. 116
State Law Requirements	p. 116
References	p. 126
The Future of the Racial Profiling Paradigm	p. 127
Why Profiling?	p. 127
Dissecting Racial Profiling	p. 128
In the Era of Homeland Security	p. 129
Future Direction of Racial Profiling	p. 130
Index	p. 132
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