NCJ Number
207430
Journal
Illinois Law Enforcement Executive Forum Dated: July 2001 Pages: 75-82
Editor(s)
Thomas J. Jurkanin Ph.D.
Date Published
July 2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the practice of traffic stops and racial profiling in law enforcement and the continued controversy over the use of data collection in evaluating how law enforcement engages day-to-day with citizens.
Abstract
The issue of racial profiling is of great concern to law enforcement officials with the very real perception among citizens that law enforcement is biased. It is the responsibility of every law enforcement agency administrator to reevaluate and retool how law enforcement engages with citizens in their day-to-day contacts. The one tool addressed in this article is the tool of data collection. In 1999, all Federal law enforcement agencies were required to begin collecting data. The concern of law enforcement is how the data will be used or misused. There was widespread resistance among Illinois law enforcement in collecting racial data on all police stops. This article presents 20 reasons articulated by law enforcement for opposing data collection. Results are presented from a survey of 100 local high school students in Illinois on their perception of racial profiling by law enforcement. Result highlights indicated: (1) students believed that 37 percent of law enforcement administrators indirectly pressured officers to profile by setting high performance standards or quotas; (2) 39 percent believed that law enforcement officer intentionally target minorities; and (3) 34 percent believed that law enforcement officers target through a lack of cultural sensitivity. The results indicate that a great deal must be done to restore the public’s faith.