H.R. 4611 would prohibit racial profiling.
Detailed Summary
End Racial Profiling Act of 2007 or ERPA - Prohibits law enforcement agents or agencies from engaging in racial profiling. Defines "racial profiling" as the practice of a law enforcement agent or agency relying, to any degree, on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in selecting which individual to subject to routine or spontaneous investigatory activities or in deciding upon the scope and substance of law enforcement activity following the initial investigatory procedure. Allows the United States, or individuals injured by racial profiling, to bring civil actions for declaratory or injunctive relief.
Requires federal law enforcement agencies to: (1) maintain adequate policies and procedures for eliminating racial profiling; and (2) cease existing practices that permit racial profiling.
Requires states, local governments, and Indian tribes applying for federal law enforcement assistance grants to certify that they: (1) maintain adequate policies and procedures for eliminating racial profiling; (2) have eliminated any existing practices of racial profiling; and (3) have established an administrative complaint procedure and independent auditor program for addressing complaints of racial profiling.
Requires the Attorney General to: (1) carry out a two-year demonstration project to collect data on hit rates for stops and searches by law enforcement agents; (2) make grants to develop and implement best practice devices and systems to eliminate racial profiling; and (3) issue regulations for data collection and make reports on racial profiling.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 1/14/2008: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Points in Favor
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)
Points Against
(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)
Visitor Comments
Margie
America is not a “melting pot,” where all differences are melted away. America is a good chicken soup with potatoes, carrots, and pieces of chicken (or whatever else happens to be in the soup.) We are all different and that is what is so wonderful about this country.
Kate
The “End Racial Profiling Act” is important in that it not only specifically bans racial profiling, but it allows victims to seek injunctive relief. It also withholds federal funds from state and local governments who persist in this odious practice, and it provides training and other assistance to state and local jurisdictions to help them address the problem head–on.
Kathryn
Racial profiling is everywhere in law enforcement today. One study has shown that about 72% of all routine traffic stops on an interstate in the NE occur with Black drivers despite the fact that Black make up only about 17% of the driving population.
Stop Racial Profiling
Please join this aging Hippie who never liked tie dye, never wore bell bottoms, and never dropped acid, continue to keep America a place where every American can be free to be free.
BTW, my skin is pink and freckled. My heart has no particular color.
Bob
“Racial profiling is a divisive practice that strikes at the very foundation of our democracy." quoted CA congressman, Bob Filner of San Diego, the bill's co-sponsor.
Bounce
Shouldn't we ideally want a law enforcement system that uses and reflects demonstrable trends in criminal acts? If, for example, a certain racial demographic has committed four times as many crimes in a particular area as other demographics, should we really ask police to absolutely ignore that data in the pursuit of their duties? Wouldn't it make more sense to allow racial profiling, but require that, if analysis is used in the pursuit of law enforcement, that resulting activities be statistically congruent with the analytical findings?
Interesting, by the way, that gender and age are not included in the regulatory language, although religion (not a race) is. Why should some types of profiling be more acceptable than others?