Race, Crime and Justice (Published

¶ … Race, Crime and Justice (published in the Christian Century)

In the essay entitled, "Race, Crime and Justice," the issue of racial profiling against black Americans is discussed, implying that this is prevalently happening among police officers, skewing the concept of fair justice towards the favor of white Americans and against the black Americans. Using Amadou Diallo's death in 1999 by four New York policemen (all white Americans) as a case in point, the essay goes on to argue that injustice and unfair treatment of non-whites comes naturally among law enforcers. To become a black American makes one suspicious enough to commit a crime or a certain offense. This unfair treatment (i.e., racial profiling) leads to the injustice that leads to numerous mistakes committed by law enforcers against the 'colored people.' In effect, the article talks of justice as appropriated only by the white Americans and injustice, to black Americans.

In arguing this main point -- that is, injustices and unfair treatments of black Americans by law enforcement officers in the United States -- the article discusses in detail the facts surrounding the Diallo case. It was said that he was mistaken by the New York policemen to be reaching out for a gun when, in fact, Diallo was reaching for his wallet. Prejudices against Diallo's race made the policemen react violently and instantaneously, resulting to Diallo's death. However, the main argument made by the article is the fact that despite the apparent neglect in taking extreme precautions not to hurt an individual who was not even suspected to commit any crime, the policemen were acquitted. The jury judged their actions as an act of mistake, instead of murder. The article points out that, had it not been to the prejudice and discrimination the policemen had given to Diallo in the first place, they would not have committed the mistake that stole the life of an innocent man.

Diallo's case is just one of the numerous instances wherein racial profiling has become a standard among law enforcement officers. The article cites how, at present, colored people are given 'top priority' when it comes to identifying possible suspects or perpetrators to a crime or even a petty offense. Activities like frisking, searching for someone's belongings and private property, and police detention are the 'little harassments' colored people have to go through simply because they are not white Americans. This current state of law enforcement and treatment of people with different races reflects the fact that in the postmodern American society, racial discrimination is very much alive.