Effectiveness of Racial Profiling in Countering Terrorism
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Is Racial Profiling an Effective Counter Terrorism Measure?
The September 11 terror attack on the American soil was followed by a successive wave of events that were aimed at countering terrorism. As the global engagement on terrorism intensified, racial profiling became more pronounced along the corridors of counter-terrorism. Conversely, the employment of racial profiling as an instrument for detecting terror suspects and countering terrorism has elicited sharp criticism from different quarters. Even as protagonists of racial profiling reiterate its effectiveness in combating terrorism, dissenting voices lament the flagrant human rights violations and racial segregations borne of racial profiling. This paper critically examines the issues surrounding racial profiling in order to form a benchmark upon which the effectiveness of racial profiling in countering terrorism can be measured.
The September 11 attacks on the US soil, which was one of the single worst acts of terrorism in the world 's history, led to the re-emergence of racial profiling in full force. In a desperate effort to bring to book the perpetrators of these attacks, security agencies in the US developed prejudice on Middle-Easterners. These prejudices were then codified into law including additional security measures for Arabs and Muslims leaving and entering the US territory. It is against this backdrop that racial profiling gained prominence not only in the US but also among its allies. This then raises a very pertinent concern as to whether racial profiling is effective in countering terrorism across the globe.
Security organs more often than not have based detention and interdiction of suspects primarily on the basis of their race, ethnicity and/or religion. Pickering et al argue that racial profiling occurs against the belief that certain minority groups are more likely to engage in unlawful behavior. They
[Professor 's Name]
[Subject Code and Title]
[Date]
Is Racial Profiling an Effective Counter Terrorism Measure?
The September 11 terror attack on the American soil was followed by a successive wave of events that were aimed at countering terrorism. As the global engagement on terrorism intensified, racial profiling became more pronounced along the corridors of counter-terrorism. Conversely, the employment of racial profiling as an instrument for detecting terror suspects and countering terrorism has elicited sharp criticism from different quarters. Even as protagonists of racial profiling reiterate its effectiveness in combating terrorism, dissenting voices lament the flagrant human rights violations and racial segregations borne of racial profiling. This paper critically examines the issues surrounding racial profiling in order to form a benchmark upon which the effectiveness of racial profiling in countering terrorism can be measured.
The September 11 attacks on the US soil, which was one of the single worst acts of terrorism in the world 's history, led to the re-emergence of racial profiling in full force. In a desperate effort to bring to book the perpetrators of these attacks, security agencies in the US developed prejudice on Middle-Easterners. These prejudices were then codified into law including additional security measures for Arabs and Muslims leaving and entering the US territory. It is against this backdrop that racial profiling gained prominence not only in the US but also among its allies. This then raises a very pertinent concern as to whether racial profiling is effective in countering terrorism across the globe.
Security organs more often than not have based detention and interdiction of suspects primarily on the basis of their race, ethnicity and/or religion. Pickering et al argue that racial profiling occurs against the belief that certain minority groups are more likely to engage in unlawful behavior. They
Cited: Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Irreversible Consequences: Racial Profiling and Lethal Force in the War on Terror. NY: NYU School of Law, 2006. Print. Etiony, Aldarando. Advancing Social Justice Through Clinical Practice. NJ: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, 2008. Print. Muffler, J. Steven. Racial Profiling: Issues, Data and Analyses. NY: Nova Science P, 2006. Print. Pickering, Sharon, McCulloch and Wright-Neville David. Counter-Terrorism Policing: Community, Cohesion and Security. NY: Springer, 2008. Print.