What is racial profiling?

Racial profiling is characterized as the practice of targeting individuals for suspicion of criminal activity based on their race or ethnicity. This phenomenon occurs when law enforcement or other authorities use a person's racial or ethnic background as a criterion for assuming criminal behavior, rather than relying on specific evidence or behavior that would typically warrant suspicion.

This practice is problematic because it perpetuates stereotypes and can lead to discriminatory treatment of individuals based solely on their racial identity. It has significant social implications, often eroding trust between communities and law enforcement, and can result in a range of negative outcomes, including wrongful arrests and a heightened sense of alienation among targeted groups.

In contrast, the other choices describe different concepts. Targeting individuals based on occupation is not inherently discriminatory and does not involve race or ethnicity. The collection of data on criminal behaviors refers to research and statistics on crime trends rather than profiling individuals. Community policing strategies aim to enhance relationships between law enforcement and communities, distinguishing them from the prejudicial nature of racial profiling.