Psychology

Racial Profiling Against African American Historical and Contemporary Antecedents of Societal Discrimination for the African Population

Abstract
Racial profiling revolves around ensuring that certain characteristics of people of a given race are recorded and then used against them when investigating criminal offences. The culture of people at time determines to a greater extent the manner in which they are treated by other. The Error and the conflict theory are the major theories that can be used in the explanation of Africa America racial profiling issues. However, problems such as racial conflicts and wars, job opportunities discrimination and underperformance and slow development of a countrys economy are some of the problems and challenges that are caused with racial profiling issues.

Introduction
Racial profiling entails the act of using an individuals race, culture and ethnic background in determining whether or not the person is likely to commit a given offence, crime or an illegal act under certain circumstances. In the Western countries, the use of racial profiling has commonly been applied to the non white people. A number of complains has been put across by a number of people regarding the manner in which people are discriminated without fair and due process being followed.

This paper sets out to explain a number of issues related to racial profiling against the African American people. The continued societal discrimination of the African population continues to raise a number of challenges and societal conflicts in the world. Specific theories of identity formation, challenges and issues in the African American population have been discussed in this paper (Chao, 1994, pp. 116-118).

Racial profiling causes very many changes in the perception, peoples behaviours and thus a change in the interpersonal relationships. Additionally, the potential problems such as hardship in finding jobs by the African America and harassment from the government authorizes have also been discussed (Ronald and Steven 2006, pp. 200-300). Towards the end of the paper, the researcher discuses a number of competencies that helped in analyzing the situation and the possible solutions to the problem. In the United States of America, law enforcers have been the major culprits in the practice of racial profiling towards the African American who are commonly known as the Nigas or the Black Americans.

Theories of Identity Formation
There are a number of theories which attempts to explain issues and challenges related to racial profiling and identify formation concepts. According to previous studies already carried out, identity formation of individuals normally relate to a number of interrelated factors that are in most cases found in an individuals environment.

The Error Theory
According to this theory, moral theory always has two halves. One is always the implication of always thing in a straight manner (considered to be the ideal theory) while the other involves the implication of people not thinking in a straight way. While the ideal theory is the foundational theory, the error theory has always been considered to be the cause of daily battles (Ronald and Steven 2006). This theory emphasizes on using racial characteristics of people to synthesis their behavior and ensuring that crime rates are minimized in society (Chao, 1994, pp. 116-118). This theory insists on the fact that no harm is caused to the people perceived to have committed an offence. The profiled persons are therefore never harmed.

The Conflict Theory
The conflict theory in relation to the racial profiling issues explains how the police force uses racial characteristic in identifying whether road users could as well be law breakers. According to Matthew, Alex, Michael (2003), the conflict theory explores whether traffic policemen normally stop, searches, and even arrest the road users based on their culture, race and other socioeconomic factors related to people. According to this theory, it is true that certain common offences are committed by individuals of specific races and not others (Greenberg 2008, pp. 48-55). However, the theory also indicates that the use of the road users racial background in searching and determining the likelihood of criminals increases the rate of crime rather than reducing it. More black people, according to the theory, were mainly arrested by traffic police compared to the whites when the theory was used. Police killings, homicides, arrests and other problems have been known to increase through the continued implantation of the Conflict Theory in racial profiling.

Issues, Challenges, Methods, and Research in Cross-Cultural Awareness
Different issues and challenges are always faced by the African Americans in the US. The African American always consider themselves less privileged in most situations due to the kind of treatment which they are accorded both by the government and by their fellow citizens. In order to enhance cross cultural awareness, issues related to the overall concept of man and the existence of God as a supreme God are important to understand. Challenges that arise from social profiling such as denial of employment opportunities, lack of the willingness of people to live and work as brothers and sisters are very common (Jonathan 2007).

The need for cross cultural awareness of the dangers posed by racial profiling to be done is very evident. People need be made aware of their inbuilt differences and similarities and thus learn to appreciate them (Michelle 2008). The methods which could be done in enhancing awareness could be through public gatherings, forums and rallies, mass media communication and door to door awareness (Sam 2005). However, issues that pertains to peoples religious believes should always be avoided when implementing the different methods of creating awareness since the strict difference in religious views could derail efforts to create awareness on issues related to racial profiling of the African American population.

Influence of Culture on Attitudes, Values, Perceptions, Human Behavior, and Interpersonal Relations Related To the African Americans

Whether or not culture has any contribution to the African American peoples attitudes, perception, behavior and their interpersonal relations or not has continues to be a very controversial issue that demands a lot of critical analysis and research. However, it is evident that peoples way of life always has an impact in the manner in which they relate to others. African people are naturally social being that related to one another for their daily survival (Michelle 1998). Moreover, most African people who live in Africa always have a tendency to perceive people who discriminate them as being enemies who should be fought and discriminated too.

African American people have values such as mutual respect, ownership of duty to self and to others, integrity, honesty, personal and communal courage to fight a common enemy, need for honor, and provision of selfless service. These values are in-line with most African values and cultural practices. They also determine the manner in which people interact, express their views and relate with others. Sam (2005) believes that culture is major source of individual and communal values that help reduce vices such as crime in society. Positive culture help one to cherish themselves, appreciate others, being willing to freely learn and interact with others and also be committed to achieving the common good in society (Knowles, Nicola, and Petra 2001, pp. 150-250 Michelle 1998).

From the above description of culture on peoples lives, it is evident that it is from their cultural background and general way of life that the African Americans find themselves being victims of social profiling. Security and intelligence personnel perceive them to be crime-oriented (Peter 2002). There consistent way of life and ability to voice their concerns at times make them to be perceived as people who can easily commit criminal offences.

Potential Problems That Result from Discrimination and Oppression of the African America and their Professional Possible Solutions

The use of racial profile always brings a feeling of a given a people not being wanted.  Discriminating treatment for a class of people normally result in side effects, most of which are normally bad and not healthy for the cohesion of the society. Discrimination of people could lead to the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) problem which was witnessed after the civil war. Civil war problems are very potential in cases where racial profiling is practiced. People are also likely to resort to other vices such as sexual offences, theft, robbery, security threats, law output from employees, and other related problems.

Discrimination of individuals based on racial aspects could easily lead to resentment from a few selected people. Realization of a countries development goals are likely to be hindered whenever people are feel looked down upon. It is very possible that whenever people feel sidelined and offered cruel and crude treatment, they would always do something to counter the negative treatment they are offered (Connor-Smith, Wadsworth, Compas, Alexandra, Thomsen and Saltzman 2000). Implementation of racial profiling makes it very complex for law enforcers to adequately perform their duties due to discriminate support they receive from the public who they actually deal with.

At times loss of peoples lose jobs through the harassment they face from the discrimination since it is very possible to transfer the frustrations suffered to the working environment.

 Racial profiling can no longer be allowed to continue being practiced. In order to achieve development, have a socially coherent society and enhance faster economic growth. There is need to ensure that all people are made of the fact that racial profiling is a vice that indeed ought to be eradicated. Eradication of this vice would help in solving the above mentioned problems. To achieve this lot of monetary and other forms of investments should be made in the education system and advocacy (Rawls 2003). Essential resources, anti-profiling rules and legislations, lobbying for possible passage the necessary information needed to end the vice and the need for litigation of highway and airline profiling cases also need to be sort by all parties involved.

Role of the Cause in Increasing Awareness
From the study and critical analysis of this topic and the African American population, I have come to learn very crucial lessons regarding the people. To begin with, I have learnt that African American people just like other American people, are very social and peace loving people. The people do not indulge in criminal activities and other anti social activities as it has been portrayed by most studies carried out (Robert 2002, pp. 60-80 Robert 2001).

The discrimination and constant usage of racial profiling by law enforcer has been a very unfair method of judging people and determining people who go against the law. From the cause and the study of the population, I have been able to adequately understand that African American tends to commit less criminal offences compared to other groups of people in America. Furthermore, it is also very obvious that race does not have any impact in determining the way of life that people lead. To the contrary, it is the environment in which people live in and their social background, and not their race, that determine the lives that people live.

I have, through the learning undertaken and the study, leant that most of the White Americans perceive the African American people as non true Americans. This argument is however not true since the majority of people who are currently being referred to as the African America were born, lived and is now working in the country. Most of them have in fact never stepped outside America thus making it unrealistic and unfair for any person to argue that such people are not true Americans (Roberts, Chen Romeo, and Phinney 1999, pp.200-300). The racial profiling cases being witnessed in America and in other Western countries are therefore baseless and do not warrant the attention and seriousness they are accorded. Instead, racial profiling should be considered a vice which different government bodies, human rights bodies and other nongovernmental organizations should strive to totally eradicate. Race should never be used in determining police actions when dealing with citizens perceived to be criminal law breakers.

Additionally, I have learned that indeed race should not always be considered when describing specific suspects in a given criminal activity. Hair, skin colour, weight of an individual and other physical attributes should cease to be used in analyzing the levels of an offence and the punishment which should be accorded to a person.

Challenges and Opportunities
Initially, challenges such as lack of adequate cooperation from the respondents and diversity in the information being collected proved to be a major problem. Lack of openness by some of the respondents also hindered the levels of efficiency in collecting the required information. Indeed the police force departments and other relevant resourceful bodies and persons were never willing to share some of the information related to racial profiling (Rawls 2003). These initial challenges together with inadequate funds to carry out the research made it difficult to carry out the research in racial profiling of African America people.

The major perceived challenges would be lack of willingness by relevant stakeholders to fully or even partially implement the findings of the research. Such a problem may lead to the concerns of the African American people not being addressed. Consequently, the problems being faced by the African American people and other people being discriminated upon may continue to thrive. Tension, lack of trust, poor cooperation and increased criminal activities may be common phenomenon in countries where racial profiling shall continue t be practiced (Roberts, Chen Romeo, and Phinney 1999, pp.200-300).

Racial profiling presents a number of challenges which if well addressed could yield better and friendlier opportunities. To begin with, through this project and course, I proper understanding of the dynamic of people and challenges facing our societies have been understood. The need for equal treatment of people provides greater opportunities for social cohesion to be enhanced. In return, social cohesion that would be realized through addressing problems related to racial profiling would lead to peoples willingness to build the country and invest in it without any fears and favours from any quarters of the government. Secondly, this project has provided the researcher with a rare opportunity of actively engaging in crime related issues and enhancing people through sensitizing people on the importance of appreciating their differences in life. Furthermore, the project would provides an opportunity for further more detailed studies to be carried out in relation to issues pertaining to racial profiling being done to other races that do exist in America and other parts of the world.

Identification My Personal Competencies
Through the researchers interaction with the African-American people, it is very evident that a lot of experience has been accumulated from the research and the entire project done (Chao, 1994, pp. 116-118). The constant interaction and socialization with the people has made it possible to learn some of the rare yet very crucial analytical skills required in a research project. This has been done through the in-depth analysis done in the project.

Personal competencies such as mastery of social skills, and being inquisitive played a vital role in ensuring that even the very adamant and almost unsocial people shared vital information which was required in the research. The skills were crucial in enabling the researcher to fully place oneself in the position of an African American person in order to fully understand the problems which are caused to the Africa American people through the vice of racial discrimination (Peter 2002). Moreover, competencies such as the ability to comprehend whatever is said and in its context, great interpersonal skills and good communication skills are skills that are dearly needed in order to better the relationship between the project stakeholders. Superb communication skills are very important in ensuring that whatever is said is understood, comprehended and then recorded in order for it to be possible to come up with reliable conclusions.

Action Plan for the Project
To ensure that the research goals are fully achieved, it is important that the following suggestions are put into action. This would enable all the project stakeholders to benefit from the eradication of racial profiling against the Africa American people. In order to gain additional cultural diversity knowledge and exposure, interviews to very strategic persons in relation to the racial profiling of Africa Americans would be done. In some instances, questionnaires would be administered to the stakeholders such as human rights activists, security forces and representatives of the Africa American people in the US in order to understand cultural diversities. People from other countries and racial backgrounds would also be used as a research sample in an effort to ensure that equality and equity in dealing with people is enhanced for the common good of humanity.

At the professional setting, the researcher intends to champion for equal treatment of all employees. This would be done through championing for the formulation of policies that would ensure fairness at the work place regardless of ones race, cultural background, tribe or educational standards.

Conclusion
Racial profiling, if not well checked or completely checked could result into very deadly and devastating consequences. From the above discussion, it is important to ensure that all people are treated equally regardless of their race. Instead of using biased methods to determine criminals, it is important to ensure that certain legislations are instituted to ensure better means of enforcing the law and dealing with law breakers and other forms of crimes.