Profiling Revisited

In the wake of the recent terrorist attempt...

Telltale Droppings

Friday, September 26, 2008
Profiling

How come when profiling identifies certain White males as likely perpetrators, it's considered a useful law enforcement tool; but if a profile, however valid, identifies Blacks or Hispanics (or Arabs) as more likely offenders, it's branded "racial profiling" and called discriminatory?

To better secure public transportation, police planned random passenger searches--random to avoid accusations of racial or ethnic profiling. But if we are serious about security (and absent sufficient resources to search everyone), racial/ethnic profiling is precisely what we should, and must, be doing. To date, most terrorists have been, or looked like, Pakistanis or Saudis. Yes, I know that only a small percentage of Pakistanis and Saudis are terrorists; still, I am unaware of a single terror incident involving a blonde, blue-eyed Norwegian or Swedish suicide bomber. Innocents unfortunate enough to fit valid profiling criteria ought not be subjected to gratuitous harrassment, but they should anticipate, and accept, some occasional inconvenience. Police should employ the Willy Sutton principle: Go where the money is--search Achmed, skip Sven!

Saturday, September 27, 2008
Profiling II

Protestors against police profiling might feel more righteous if cops conducted spot checks of blue-haired White grannies--but would they feel safer?

Fitting a valid profile does not, of course, mean that one is a terrorist (drug dealer, rapist, pedophile, serial killer, whatever); but it does, unquestionably, increase the likelihood--and that, identifying increased likelihoods, is what profiling is (supposed to be) all about.

If you are swarthy and Semitic-looking, pardon my political incorrectness, but step aside and empty your backpack!