Effects on Relationship between Police & Various Ethnic Groups and Social Classes

Effects on Relationship between Police & Various Ethnic Groups and Social Classes
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Although the constitution of the United States guarantees equal justice for all Americans, there is enduring cynicism among ethnic minorities. They deeply mistrust the police force since they feel that they are targets of mistreatment by the police CITATION Kan12 l 2057 (Kanovits, 2012). This skepticism is not surprising, given the long history of discrimination against ethnic minority groups in the criminal justice system. This essay will explore the development of policing in the US in terms of police practices, court procedures and correctional population, which created the current strained relationship between the criminal and justice system and different ethnic groups and social classes.
One of the most controversial aspects of police procedure is racial profiling especially when it comes to traffic stops, the fight against terrorism. Racial profiling is not new to the US, since it existed even during the colonial era. The justification behind racial profiling is that people of certain ethnic groups are more likely to engage in different criminal acts than others. For instance, studies conducted recently revealed that traffic police stop more Hispanics and African Americans motorists than motorists of other ethnic groups CITATION Kan12 l 2057 (Kanovits, 2012). Racial profiling in the face of terrorism attacks is not a new phenomenon. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the then attorney general ordered the documenting of all land owned by the Chinese, and advocated for the Chinese to be denied land, because as long as they remained in the United States, they would be a threat CITATION Sig02 l 2057 (Siggins, 2002). In the wake of the 9/11 terrorism attack, people of the Middle Eastern descent became targets of injustice. Even in the absence of reasons warranting suspicion, police focused all their investigations on people of Middle Eastern descent. The Patriot Act allows the attorney general to arrest foreign nationals and detain them for up to seven days, without pressing charges against them CITATION Sig02 l 2057 (Siggins, 2002). There are more instances of police brutality among ethnic minorities than the majority white population.
A positive public acuity is rather important when it comes to the operation and maintenance of the judicial system, since it determines people's willingness to respect laws, be jurors and file suits. Research evidence suggests that ethnic minority groups distrust the justice system more than white Americans do CITATION Nee04 l 2057 (Neely, 2004). Although, the extent of discriminatory practices significantly decreased over the years, the situation is still di...