Profiling Discussion (illegal, drug, FBI, serial killers)

[Rggr]

I'm interested to hear people's thoughts on this. If we consider profiling and the attempts to be sure not to profile, they exist along a continuum. At one end is searchinig 82-year-old Scandinavian women in the airport. At the other would be Japanese internment camps in WW II. At some point along the continuum, there is simply good, smart, preventative police work. In your opinion, where is that point and what does it look like?

[tropolis]

i think profiling can work in some instances.

for instance a pattern of someone from a certain background going to an area where he is a distinct minority at certain times, and behaving in certain manners.

for example, police have admitted to profiling whites who go to the hood in jersey at night, parking outside establishments where illegal activity is going on, etc. because they know 9/10 times its a drug beef.

profiling anyone just walking around though is stupid and accomplishes nothing.

needs to be much more detailed, need to have patterns of activity etc.

just targeting minorities anywhere they are will not do anything except cost your city millions in lawsuits.

[ovcatto]

Originally Posted by tropolis

i think profiling can work in some instances.

Gives benefit of the doubt...

for instance a pattern of someone from a certain background

doubt is diminishing...

going to an area where he is a distinct minority at certain times,

No he didn't write that! Tell me that was a typo!!

for example, police have admitted to profiling whites who go to the hood in jersey at night, parking outside establishments where illegal activity is going on, etc. because they know 9/10 times its a drug beef.

And I have seen this while hanging out with cops for stories, back in the day, and also watching some white guy get rousted for dropping off his black/latino co-worker. Under our principles of civil liberties, 9 out of 10 doesn't make for probable cause.

and behaving in certain manners.

You should have started and stopped right there.

just targeting minorities anywhere they are will not do anything except cost your city millions in lawsuits.

Can't argue with you on that point.

[kingdomcome1]

Every law enforcement agency profiles to some degree, and not just in this country, but all over the world. They have to. There are profiles for almost every type of criminal whether they be drug dealers, rapists, mass murderers, serial killers, etc. The FBI has a whole department devoted to this area. Behavioral Sciences is what helps in stopping crime from happening, that along with good detective work and common sense. Do we need to do a better job of selecting types? Sure, but as the name implies, it is a Science and not a 100% way to determine whether a crime has been committed or is about to be committed.

[Quick Enough]

Not too many years ago a Baltimore high ranking police officer put out a All Points Bulletin to be on the look out for an 18 to 24 year old black male........ A woman had been robbed and I believe worse.

He was vilified in the press and the local black so-called leaders for profiling. He was suspended until he appeared at a hearing.

At the hearing the suspension was upheld.

He said it made no sense to NOT identify the assailant as black. It would be a waste of policemen's time to looking for a white man because the poor woman said that guy that attacked her was a young black.

Should the police waste their time looking for 60 year old white/Asian/Hispanic men when the assailant was a young black guy?

Why stop black guys when the assailant is white?

Sometimes profiling does make sense. Another example of PC going too far.

[Holdencaulfield]

Does it make sense to profile domestic terrorits, like the anti government militia members? Timothy McVeigh?