Black Criminal Stereotypes and Racial Profiling

Abstract

The racial stereotyping of criminals has been an enduring and unfortunate feature of American culture. However, following the civil rights movement, the linkage between Blacks and crime was galvanized. The stereotyping of Blacks as criminals is so pervasive throughout society that "criminal predator" is used as a euphemism for "young Black male." This common stereotype has erroneously served as a subtle rationale for the unofficial policy and practice of racial profiling by criminal justice practitioners. This article details the theoretical elements contributing to the development of Black criminal typification to understand how this has been used to justify racial profiling.

Race and Crime Conflict in News Coverage in Britain: The Voice tabloid newspaper

“…In fact, there is a need for critical assessment of crime and race data in order to bring about a better understanding on whether crime is overwhelmingly a black phenomenon (Welch 2007). The inaccurate data, as presented by the mainstream media, has led other race groups to perceive black people as criminals.…”

Effect of Framing of Reentry Program on Perceptions of Ex-Offenders

“…In general, ethnic minorities (e.g., Black, Hispanic) in the United States are more likely to have been incarcerated than White individuals (Connor & White, 2013), and racial stereotypes often link particular ethnicities to criminal acts (Welch, 2007;Welch, Payne, Chiricos, & Gertz, 2011). Thus, there is a tendency for minorities, especially Black individuals, to be passed over for a job compared to White ex-offenders (Pager, Western, & Bonikowski, 2009;Pager, Western, & Sugie, 2009).…”

The Eyes of Law Enforcement in the New Panopticon: Police-Community Racial Asymmetry and the Use of Surveillance Technology

“…Consistent with the trust literature, White departments may rely on racial stereotypes to assess the amount of risk or threat minorities pose to public safety. Although not limited to the views of the police, numerous studies have indicated that US citizens perceive African Americans to engage in more criminal behavior than other racial groups (e.g., Barlow 1998;Drummond 1990;Hawkins 1995;Kennedy 1997;Mauer 1999;Russell 2002), and they are more likely than other groups to be described as violent or as criminals (Chiricos, Welch, and Gertz 2004;Hurwitz andPeffley 1997 Sigelman andTuch 1996;Sniderman and Piazza 1993;Welch 2007). Whereas employing many officers of color could increase their positive exposure to members of other racial groups and thus interrupt or deter the use of negative racial stereotypes, primarily White departments may become dependent on such stereotypes as a lens for viewing minorities in the community.…”