Racial profiling is sometimes used in conjunction with stop-and-frisk policies, which allow police to stop and search individuals without probable cause. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Terry v. Ohio (1968) that police officers may stop people based on reasonable suspicion that they’ve engaged in criminal activity — even if they don’t have probable cause. However, the Court has upheld rules requiring officers to have reasonable suspicion that a person was involved in criminal activity before stopping them under this policy.
In addition to traffic stops, racial profiling can occur during airport screenings and TSA checkpoints at airports around the country. In recent years, there have been several complaints by passengers who were singled out based on their race during these inspections.
The practice has been widely criticized as discriminatory and counterproductive; however, it remains in widespread use by law enforcement agencies in many countries around the world.
In the United States, racial profiling is illegal under federal law and many state laws. However, there are no federal laws against racial profiling by private businesses or individuals such as landlords and employers. In some cases, racial profiling may violate civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race or ethnicity.
Racial profiling is not limited to law enforcement agencies. It can also include other types of organizations such as schools and businesses that use physical appearance as a basis for discrimination when making decisions about hiring, promotion, or admission.
