Historical Overview and Perceptions of Racial and Terrorist Profiling in an Era of Homeland Security: A Research Note

• NCJ Number: 228149
• Journal: Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 359-374
• Author(s): Deborah Wilkins Newman; Nikki-Qui D. Brown
• Date Published: September 2009
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For additional articles see NCJ-228142-48.

Annotation

This study compared the views of law enforcement and non-law enforcement populations regarding terrorist profiling and compared racial profiling as it is interwoven with terrorist profiling.

Abstract

The results of the study revealed that law enforcement and non-law enforcement/student subjects differed in their perceptions regarding the value of terrorist profiling and their suspiciousness of individuals that fit a terrorist profile linked in time and place with a terrorist act, such as September 11, 2001. However, the results showed that the two groups agreed on their perception of terrorist profiling not being a requirement to effectively combat terrorism. This research contributes important information for community policing and homeland security education. A better understanding of the perception in profiling matters has the ability to enhance police-community relations. This study was designed to explore the possible differences between law enforcement and non-law enforcement viewpoints regarding the use of racial and terrorist profiling. Tables and references