Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Joseph E. Pascarella

Abstract

AbstractRacial profiling among African Americans and Hispanics brings significant challenges to police conduct in providing police service to minority groups. Recent events of racial profiling committed by law enforcement officers bring negative perceptions toward police officers. African Americans and Hispanics are among the highest population groups arrested and mistreated by law enforcement officers. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experience of racial profiling among African Americans and Hispanics against police officers. The research question for this study examined the lived experience of African Americans/ Hispanics over 18 who were racially profiled by police officers. Eight participants answered the survey (four African Americans, two Hispanic, and two White) and three of the African Americans agreed to be interviewed regarding their lived experience with racial profiling. The findings revealed that participants believed that they were discriminated against, treated like criminals, harassed, arrested, interrogated, and profiled by the police because of their race. Themes were identified from the data collection and analysis revealed that police officers contributed to racial profiling against African Americans and Hispanics resulting in gun violence and police shooting. Recommendations based on this study included the development of new crime-fighting strategies which does not involve racial profiling, the creation of new federal and state laws which prohibit a police officer from practicing racial profiling, and the creation of awareness and education for all police officers and minority groups. These changes could create a positive social change impact.

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