Topic
Reasonable suspicion in the United States is a catchall term used by law enforcement to harass minorities. Create an ethical argument examining citizen rights when an officer of the law finds something (e.g., firearms, narcotizes, burglary tools, etc.) not being sought. The issue of "reasonable suspicion" must be defined and criteria and categories identified before the above claim can be ethically argued. Statistical evidence is required.
Data
- Bureau of Justice Statistics - Data CollectionBrowse the different reports for datasets on who has interactions with the police (by race, age, sex) and their perceptions of the police (was it fair? How did the police act?).
- San Antonio Police Data Analysis ReportLists race and reason for stop (including probable cause). Also includes complaints of racial profiling.
- Open Policing ProjectData on traffic stops in each state with a choice of demographics and characteristics of the stop.
Articles
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowThere is a recent report on reasonable suspicion and racial profiling. Don't forget to check the bibliography for their list of sources. Most of them are hyperlinked and you can use them for your paper!
- Criminal Justice Abstracts (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowA database of articles on topics in criminal justice and law enforcement.
