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The purpose of this study was to determine whether persons of different racial/ethnic backgrounds differ in their perceptions of the role racial discrimination plays in the overrepresentation of Black people in the U.S. prison system. The paper also tested the gradient hypothesis of comparative conflict theory, which predicts Black people perceive the greatest amount of racial discrimination, followed by Latinx and white people, respectively. This study also tested whether perceptions of race relations between Black, Latinx, and white people influenced the role participants thought racial discrimination played in Black people's overrepresentation. Nationally representative Gallup Poll data were used. Results partially supported the gradient hypothesis. Black people were more likely than Latinx and white people to perceive racial discrimination to explain Black people's overrepresentation in prison, but Latinxs' views did not differ from whites'. Participants who perceived poorer relations between Black, Latinx, and white people were more likely to consider racial discrimination to explain Black people's overrepresentation. Findings suggest Black people and those who perceive poorer race relations are most likely to support criminal justice reform efforts aimed at reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an anomaly of extant literature that maintains Blacks as a collective are less supportive of racial profiling than other ethnic groups, this article explores the backgrounds of Blacks who support the practice of racial profiling (referred to as Black Supporters). This study analyzed a national Gallup poll that included measures on profiling and had a significant number of Black respondents (N = 534). Black Supporters tended to be female; live in the Southern United States; and be politically conservative. Although multivariate analyses revealed few differences between Black Supporters and nonsupporters, the study represents an earnest attempt to explore Black support for a policing strategy that has both historically and contemporarily had negative effects on Black communities. We conclude the article by discussing the benefits of studying Black Supporters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using a national poll with a representative sample of Blacks (N = 854), this article examined the experiences of those Blacks who believe that they had recently been treated unfairly by the police. More specifically, the research examined the role of gender in the perception of unfair treatment by the police. The results of the analysis from the full sample found that age (being older), region (being from the South), and being female decreased the likelihood of reporting having been recently treated unfairly by the police. To examine the differences between Black men and women, the authors conducted a split-sample binary logistic regression analysis. The analysis revealed that Black women who resided in the South were less likely to report experiencing unfair treatment by the police. For Black men, being older and having a higher income resulted in the reduced likelihood of the perception of having been treated unfairly. The implications of the research also are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including racism and crimes regarding African Americans, racial discrimination in the U.S., and racial disparities in outcomes of criminal justice.

This article explores citizens' views on racial profiling at airports. A recent Gallup poll allowed for analyses of the perception of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites concerning whether they felt racial profiling at airports was widespread and/or justified. Multivariate analyses revealed that Blacks were more likely than Whites to believe profiling at airports was widespread. There were, however, no differences between the opinions of Whites and Hispanics on the extent of profiling in airports. Racial and ethnic minorities were less likely than Whites to believe that profiling at airports was justified. The implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from a national Gallup poll, this article examines several hypotheses related to citizens'' perceptions regarding the prevalence of consumer racial profiling (CRP) in the retail setting in America, as well as their support for the practice. The oversampling of Black and Hispanic respondents allowed for analyses that tested for racial differences in perceptions concerning the extent of CRP, and also for racial differences in the support for the use of CRP. The multivariate analysis found that Blacks were more likely than Hispanics and Whites to believe that CRP was widespread; there were no differences in the views of residents from urban and suburban areas; there were no differences between racial and ethnic groups regarding whether profiling was justified; and the more liberal the respondents were, the more likely they felt CRP was widespread and not justified. The authors also discuss the implications of these findings and present some future directions for CRP research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Racial profiling has been an interest among society and scholars for several years. The main focus of racial profiling has been on law enforcement's use of the technique, with little investigation of it occurring in consumer environments, that is, consumer racial profiling (CRP). Moreover, even less research has focused on the negative emotions that occur as a result of perceptions of CRP. Using data from a telephone survey of citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the present study indicates that perceptions of experiencing CRP do result in negative emotions. Furthermore, the present study identifies a profile of individuals who are likely to experience these negative emotions due to perceptions of CRP. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article examines consumer racial profiling among Black students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Consumer Racial Profiling (CRP) is when store employees target a shopper or shoppers for discriminatory treatment based on their race or ethnicity. The research revealed that students have been exposed to a variety of CRP practices (e.g., being followed around, etc.). Even though they have been victims of CRP, many of the students did not report doing anything about it. Multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the most significant predictors of both having reported being a victim of CRP and also reporting the incident. The article concludes arguing that victims of CRP must report the incidents—if they are to be minimized, or in the best-case scenario, eliminated. In addition, the authors argue that criminologists should pay more attention to both CRP and the experiences and views of students at HBCUs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article looks into several racial profiling civil suits in federal courts in the U.S. from 1990-2002. Most of the plaintiffs in these cases were Black Americans and followed by Hispanics. An examination of the facts surrounding the cases depicted that in 56.3% of the suits, the person making the claim that he or she was racially profiled was found engaging in criminal activity. As for the outcomes of the cases, the plaintiffs won in only 31.1% of the cases. The author concludes that the declining number of racial profiling cases is indicative of the sensitivity of police officers to the adverse effect of the practice.

Presents a study that examined shopping while black (SWB), which is the practice of racial profiling in retail settings in the U.S. Discussion on the issue of racial profiling in retail trade settings; Elaboration on the concept of SWB in several criminological perspectives; Information on SWB in literature; Summary of SWB cases; Characteristics of SWB cases.

Reviews the earliest crime polls conducted in the United States. History of crime polls in the country; Information on the crime rate in Afro-American community; Analysis of W.E.B. DuBois' efforts in crime poll research; Findings of DuBoi's research program in 1904.