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Introduction
Police brutality associated with racial profiling can be viewed as an ongoing problem that African Americans try to overcome during a long period of time. Therefore, the problem of police brutality against minorities is actively discussed in the modern American society because of the public’s attention to each case when police officers demonstrate the excessive use of force (Flatow 79; Muwakkil 64). In most cases, those situations in which victims of police brutality are African-American males attract more public attention, and this fact requires further discussion in relation to the issue of racial profiling (Behnke 13). Although the U.S. commissions authorized to address police brutality against African-American men work to prevent such cases, it is possible to speak about the rise of the problem during recent decades in association with racial profiling, the well-known cases of police misconduct, and the realization of steps to cope with the situation. The solution to this problem should include the development of strategies that are based on providing the additional cross-cultural training and education for police officers, the policies which regulate the use of guns, and the specific norms and rules which can control interactions between police and minorities.
Racial Profiling as the Reason for the Problem Development
Racial profiling as the practice of discussing and treating persons depending on their race is viewed as the main reason for the conflict between African-American males and police officers. In contrast to criminal profiling when conclusions are made with the help of the evidence which officers have, racial profiling is based only on assumptions made by officials in relation to persons who belong to the minority group (American Civil Liberties Union 254). According to Cha-Jua, police brutality in the form of physical and psychological pressure on citizens often becomes a result of racial profiling and the associated racist violence which can have such consequences as the “unjustified shooting, fatal choking, and physical assault by law enforcement officers” (56). Thus, it is possible to state that racial profiling and associated actions of police officers can be explained with reference to their bias and stereotypes against the representatives of minority groups.
The problem is also in the fact that the majority of assaulted African Americans remain silent, and they do not draw the officials’ attention to this problem. The reason for non-accentuating the problem without attracting the attention of the public is in experiencing racial profiling in many other aspects of their life, as it is stated by Holbert and Rose (The Color of Guilt and Innocence 5). It is also important to note that incidents of racial profiling and police brutality “often leave blameless, upstanding persons with emotional scars, if not physical injuries” (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 24). Furthermore, “these scars and injuries cause these individuals to remain apprehensive about the prospect of future adverse encounters with police officers” (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 24). From this point, African American males often choose to remain silent because of fear to experience police brutality in the future. The practice of racial profiling can be discussed as rather discriminatory because it is related to violence against Africa-American males. Therefore, this practice can lead police officers to wrong conclusions and unethical decisions or violent actions in a situation when men of color choose not to act or protect their rights.
Examples of Police Misconduct and Public Perception
The public in the United States paid attention to the problem of police officers’ misconduct in relation to African-American males in the 1990s, but in the 2000s, the question of police brutality became even more urgent. The assault of Rodney King in 1991 was one of the first cases which allowed for speaking about the problem in American society (Flatow 78). Thus, more cases were observed during the following years. Abner Louima was assaulted in 1997, and Amadou Diallo was killed in 1999 (Flatow 79; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 23). These cases were actively discussed in the media because they emphasized police brutality and officers’ unethical practices. In addition, these cases drew the attention of the public to the developing problem because of violence demonstrated by officials, and certain actions were taken to address the issue at the level of developing punishment measures for police officers (Cha-Jua 56; Skolnick 75). Thus, the necessity of providing the solution to the problem of racial profiling and police brutality was accentuated, and immediate actions were expected to be taken by the authorities.
However, the provided actions were not enough to prevent similar situations in the future, and the real attitude of the public to the problem became known only in 2014 when mass riots were organized in order to demonstrate the necessity of taking actual steps to prevent police brutality against African-American males. The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, accentuated the fact that the problem was not resolved with the help of policies that were adopted in the 1990s as the reaction to previous cases (Flatow 79; Whitaker 254). Thus, according to Holbert and Rose, more than 50% of African-American men who are aged between 18 and 34 years regularly report violence or inappropriate treatment by police officers (“The Specter of Racial Profiling” 225). Therefore, it is possible to state that episodes of police officers’ violence influence the public perception of their treatment of African-American males, and moreover, they affect these men’s visions of their relations with officials.
Possible Actions to Address the Problem in the U.S. Society
In spite of the fact that effective policies to address police brutality against African-American males and representatives of other minority groups were developed in the 1990s and then revised in the 2000s, a variety of problems related to racial profiling and police violence has not been resolved. According to Flatow, the increased number of police officers in communities, as it was proposed by policymakers, could not contribute to resolving the issue (78). In addition, it is possible to state that there are no effective policies in order to prevent officers from using guns in questionable situations (Muwakkil 64). This gap in the regulations and norms that are followed by police officers is associated with a range of risks for both the police and representatives of minority groups (Skolnick 75; Whitaker 255). Therefore, the solution to the problem should include specific actions that are oriented not only to limiting the power of officials but also to improving their cultural awareness with the help of the effectively developed cultural training (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 24). From this perspective, it is possible to observe positive results only when the solution to the problem of racial profiling and police brutality is complex in order to respond to different aspects of the discussed issue.
Solutions to the Problem
To contribute to solving the problem of police brutality against African-American males, it is necessary to concentrate on the development and realization of the complex strategy which implementation in the U.S. communities can require time and resources. Thus, the solution to the problem should have three aspects to be addressed in practice. To prevent the practice of profiling in relation to African-American males, the appropriate training and education should be provided for police officers (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 23). This cross-cultural training should include information on how to approach African-American males while interacting with them without considering the color of their skin or their race as factors that can lead to racism in police officers’ attitudes and behaviors.
The necessity of training for officers is supported by many researchers and authorities. According to the data provided in studies and related statistics, the cultural bias is usually higher among those persons who follow cultural stereotypes and who are inclined to discuss African Americans as “aggressive, violent and dangerous” (American Civil Liberties Union 258). Therefore, the purpose of the proposed cross-cultural training is to provide police officers with all the necessary information about cultures and visions of African Americans in order to prevent the development and spread of negative stereotypes and biases.
However, it is also important to note that training should be provided not only for officers but also for members of communities in order to guarantee that they know their rights and rules of interacting with the police. According to Holbert and Rose, police officers often stop young African-American males who are aged 18-34 years (“The Spector of Racial Profiling” 225). Such cases are usually results of racial profiling. Still, the problem is also in the fact that young African-American men do not know how to behave in these situations. While interacting with police officers, they are expected to stay calm and listen to officers’ commands. These young males should not try to run away or attack police officers because their aggressive behavior can cause the police’s reaction and lead to shooting (Whitaker 255). In many cases, African-American males often do not know these rules or avoid following them because of the lack of community education (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 23). Therefore, training to address police brutality against minorities should be conducted at different levels to provide all stakeholders with the knowledge regarding the problem to prevent its development in the future.
One more aspect of the proposed solution is the regulation regarding the use of guns based on stereotyping and prejudice against African Americans. According to Flatow, “police are given a lot of leeways to use deadly force, in many instances when the public perception is that other lesser measures might do” (82). Thus, when police officers approach African-American males, they should not demonstrate that they have some preconceived ideas regarding these young individuals. Furthermore, both officers and young African-American males should not pull out their guns instantaneously to avoid creating a risky situation. When these rules are communicated to stakeholders, and certain policies are adopted to regulate the use of guns by police officers, it is possible to expect positive changes in the observed tendencies (American Civil Liberties Union 258; Behnke 34). Thus, while following a strategy to overcome racial profiling, “a compelling case can be made for providing better training and harsher discipline to law enforcement officials to prevent officers from transgressing constitutional requirements for initiating a legal stop based on individualized suspicion” (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 24). These steps are important to guarantee that the problem of police brutality will be addressed in the nearest future.
Conclusion
The rise of police violence directed to African-American males is a phenomenon which is discussed by both the public and authorities. The reasons for this problem can be found in the practice of racial profiling that is associated with prejudice against the representatives of minorities in many communities of the United States. As a result, the solution to this problem should be associated with proposing specific policy changes as well as providing effective training for police officers. This training will be important to help them learn more about cultural differences and specific ethnic features in order to avoid racial profiling and other instances of racism. In addition, the practice of community education should also be proposed to overcome the problem in order to involve all stakeholders in the process of resolving the issue. Finally, changes in the policies which regulate the use of guns are also necessary in order to guarantee that officers will avoid shooting in cases when they stop representatives of minority groups, and when their assumptions are not supported by evidence.
Works Cited
American Civil Liberties Union. “Racial Profiling Exists.” Racial Profiling, edited by David Erik Nelson, Greenhaven Press, 2009, pp. 254-265.
Behnke, Alison Marie. Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality. Twenty-First Century Books, 2017.
Cha-Jua, Sundiata Keita. “Racism Is a Factor in Police Violence.” Police Brutality, edited by Sheila Fitzgerald, Greenhaven Press, 2007, pp. 55-63.
Flatow, Nicole. “History Indicates Varied Results in Improving Police Brutality in America.” Police Brutality, edited by Michael Ruth, Greenhaven Press, 2016, pp. 77-85.
Holbert, Steve, and Lisa Rose. The Color of Guilt and Innocence: Racial Profiling and Police Practices in America. Page Marque Press, 2004.
—. “The Specter of Racial Profiling Obstructs Law Enforcement.” Racial Profiling, edited by David Erik Nelson, Greenhaven Press, 2009, pp. 223-231.
Muwakkil, Salim. “Racism Promotes Police Brutality.” Police Brutality, edited by Louise I. Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2004, pp. 62-70.
Skolnick, Jerome H. “Police Culture Makes It Difficult to Prosecute Police Brutality.” Police Brutality, edited by Louise I. Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2004, pp. 74-85.
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. “Police Brutality Is Widespread.” Police Brutality, edited by Helen Cothran, Greenhaven Press, 2001, pp. 21-29.
Whitaker, Matthew C. Peace Be Still: Modern Black America from World War II to Barack Obama. University of Nebraska Press, 2014.
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