Legal Definitions - ethnic profiling

Definition: Ethnic profiling, also known as racial profiling, is a law enforcement practice where race, national origin, or ethnicity is used as a basis for suspicion of criminal activity. This means that people are targeted by the police because of their race or ethnicity, even if they have not done anything wrong.

Examples: One example of ethnic profiling is when police officers stop a disproportionate number of African-American drivers because they assume that they are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. Another example is when Middle Eastern men are searched and interrogated at airports after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Explanation: These examples illustrate how ethnic profiling can lead to discrimination and unfair treatment of certain groups of people. It is important for law enforcement to use evidence-based methods to identify criminal activity, rather than relying on stereotypes based on race or ethnicity.