Educational Media Reviews Online

Recently the American public has become aware of the issue of racial profiling or stopping African Americans or Hispanics because they fit the profile of the typical drug courier. This program, a compilation of ABC Nightline programs discusses both sides of the issue interviewing some who have been stopped and the police who have the difficult job of trying to curtail the influx of drugs into communities around the United States.

The focus of this program is on the activities of state police in Maryland and Florida, who have been the focus of several law suits regarding the issue of racial profiling and stopping people who they thought might be carrying drugs or money. Michelle McQueen, who is the lead reporter for this program, interviews several people who were pulled over and subjected to searches. All of them express frustration, anger, and fear. An elderly couple who was forced to sit at the side of the road for three hours while their van was searched, expressed dismay about the police not allowing the wife to go and relieve herself. After the search was complete the police told them that they were concerned that the couple might flee. At that the husband says, "Imagine me and my wife running up 95 with a bunch of white cops after us." Another woman who was stopped with her children while on a trip to Florida notes the impact the search has had on her children who panic when they see a state trooper and ask their mom to "slow down or be careful." Several of the interviewees mention that they have worked to achieve success yet they are still perceived as criminals.

On the other hand there are several interviews with Maryland State troopers who say that profiling doesn't exist and that troopers should not limit searchers to a specific group or type of driver. They note that anyone can be a courier and show examples of how people hide drugs, guns and money in their cars. Also discussed is the difficulty of stemming the tide of drugs into communities; communities that are demanding that police become more effective in keeping drugs out of their neighborhoods. They also talk about the dangers of being a police officer, mentioning a recent story of a policeman who made a routine traffic stop and was killed by the driver.

However most damming is the statistical information that shows that African Americans are stopped in equal numbers to whites but are subjected to searches at a much higher rate then whites. A congressman from Florida that is interviewed on the programs says that "most drug crime is in African American communities." The statistics provided however show that most drug arrests involve white males. Also discussed is the fact that police reports may not mention the reason for a stop so that many places many not have a good record of determining why people are stopped on the highway.

Ending the program is an interview with Christopher Darden, who was one of the prosecutors in the OJ Simpson case. He notes that every year since he received his drivers license he has been stopped by police. He notes that racial profiling sanctions a racial stereotype but can also provide legal justification for a traffic stop. His review of both sides of the issue is balanced but viewers can feel his frustration at having to deal with the ramifications of being stopped for "driving while black."

This report is fascinating, scary and will make many angry. It is a topic that is receiving lots of press now and this tape will be of use in social studies, sociology, criminology and American Studies classrooms. Students from grades 9 and beyond will be able to use this tape in class. Recommended for addition to academic and public libraries.