Consumer Racial Profiling Experiences of Black Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An Exploratory Study

• NCJ Number: 223937
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 36 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 354-361
• Author(s): Shaun L. Gabbidon; Ronald Craig; Nonso Okafo; Lakiesha N. Marzette; Steven A. Peterson
• Date Published: August 2008
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study surveyed Black students at historically Black colleges and universities in order to determine the prevalence and characteristics of their experiences of "consumer racial profiling" (CRP), which occurs when store employees target a shopper or shoppers for discriminatory treatment based on their race or ethnicity.

Abstract

Based on this definition of CRP, 73 percent of the students reported that they had been victims of this practice. Eighty-four percent of the respondents stated they had experienced CRP only once or just occasionally. Approximately 67 percent indicated they had experienced CRP in multiple types of retail establishments that were mostly located within 20 miles of their home. Sales associates/cashiers were involved in 56 percent of the CRP incidents. Another 27 percent of the students said a number of employees were involved in the incident. Approximately 68 percent of the students reported that White employees were most likely to be involved in a CRP incident. Seventy-six percent of the respondents indicated they had been exposed to multiple types of CRP incidents, including being followed around the store while browsing, being accused of theft, and being approached repeatedly for questioning or other form of attention. Only 18 percent of the students reported a CRP incident to a representative of the business where the event occurred, and 45 percent of the students returned to the store where the CRP incident occurred. Sixty-two percent of the students had not labeled their experience as CRP prior to the issue being raised in the survey. The three most popular suggestions for addressing incidents of CRP were providing employee training on the negative impact of CRP, diversifying the workforce, and firing employees who perpetrate CRP. Four schools in Virginia and Tennessee participated in the study, with 478 usable questionnaires being provided by a convenience sample of students. 6 tables, 33 references, and appended data on survey responses by African-Americans (n=406)