oldrebel: blog 
oldrebel's blog
driving while black ???
Published May. 12, 2008
Watch the video, then read the rest of the blog. And if you see blue lights behind you, be polite and non-confrontational. The law enforcement officer is just doing his job and there's no reason to escalate a traffic stop into a spot on the evening news.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibSwITK4jjQ
What is racial profiling? The most common example of police racial profiling is "DWB", otherwise known as "driving while black". This refers to the practice of police targeting African Americans for traffic stops because they believe that African Americans are more likely to be engaged in criminal activity.
While racial profiling is illegal, a 1996 Supreme Court decision allows police to stop motorists and search their vehicles if they believe trafficking illegal drugs or weapons. More traffic stops leads to more arrests, which further skews the racial profiling statistics against African Americans. Studies have shown that African Americans are far more likely to be stopped and searched. Are African Americans really committing more crimes or are they just caught more often because the police target them? This is a vicious cycle that even the strictest law enforcement advocates would admit is patently unfair.
What can you do if you are stopped? Civil rights attorneys advise the following:
Know your rights: you are not required to give permission to police officer to search your car. You can deny the request - but do so politely.
Don't argue: the police may try to intimidate you. Do not be confrontational and provoke an argument.
Get the names of the officers: be sure to get their badge numbers, squad car number, license plate number, and make a note of the location and time of day.
File a complaint if you feel you have been mis-treated: contact the ACLU or other civil rights organizations for legal advice.
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GOLO member since September 1, 2007
May 13, 2008 9:22 a.m.
The reason they were stopped would be speeding or some other infraction; the request for a search however, might be due to the vehicle speeding AND fitting the profile.
The fallacy that those against profiling commit is argumentum ad circulum. A disproportionate stop and search of minority drivers does not skew minority criminality. While it makes for sensational news stories, "hard" profiling (where race is the ONLY factor) is very rare, otherwise hit rates for minorities would be lower than for whites, and they are not.
GOLO member since July 25, 2007
May 12, 2008 2:57 p.m.
Great example. I wouldn't go stopping everyone or every group who looked Jamaican driving an SUV though. That would be a mess. There would still have to be some reason to suspect they were transporting dope beyond just that. If that is your only criteria for pulling folks over then I guess you just made the case for those against profiling.
GOLO member since February 17, 2008
May 12, 2008 2:34 p.m.
What other factors? The initial driving infraction that got you pulled over in the first place? The make and model of the vehicle? The direction of travel and the time of day leave a targeted area?
What would you do as a highway patrolman if you had a DEA intel tip indicating a Jamaican posse who likes to use SUV's was transporting dope along I95? Does race come into play here?
GOLO member since July 25, 2007
May 12, 2008 2:12 p.m.
GOLO member since February 17, 2008
May 12, 2008 2:04 p.m.
Great. If you agree that police should target crime to increase their hit rate, then you also agree that the use of race as one of several factors when gauging criminal suspiciousness is a reasonable and valid means of increasing their hit rate?
GOLO member since July 25, 2007
May 12, 2008 1:49 p.m.
GOLO member since February 17, 2008
May 12, 2008 1:41 p.m.
GOLO member since February 17, 2008
May 12, 2008 1:39 p.m.
If you are too defensive to answer I will retract the question." -yeahright3
I prefer as little "random" searching as possible; that infringes on our rights and is not effective police work. Instead, I want police officers use their judgment and experience to target crime and increase their likelihood of success.
GOLO member since July 25, 2007
May 12, 2008 1:39 p.m.
GOLO member since November 27, 2007
May 12, 2008 1:37 p.m.
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