Racial Profiling – Illinois

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"Racial profiling is not effective, not just, and, not conducive to good relations between law enforcement and communities. A good relationship between police and communities is essential for effective police work."
– Rishi Reddy, AIUSA

How Illinois Rates in Protection From Racial Profiling

While Illinois's racial profiling law seeks to address the problem of police illegally stopping and searching pedestrians as well as motorists, the law's effectiveness is undermined by an anemic definition of the problem. By only banning profiling "solely" based on race, ethnicity, or national origin, it essentially allows police to utilize profiles that include other factors (such as gender or age) in addition to race, ethnicity, or national origin. Accordingly, while it may be illegal in Illinois to profile African-Americans, it is not illegal to profile African-American men. Moreover, Illinois's racial profiling law ignores the very real problem of racial profiling against religious minorities, who have been increasingly targeted since September 11, 2001. Furthermore, this law fails to address racial profiling during pedestrian stops by police. Pedestrian stops are a very common form of racial profiling in urban environments such as Chicago. In addition, although Illinois law currently requires ongoing data collection, the provisions requiring the collection of data are set to expire on December 31, 2007. This will inhibit the police's and the public's ability to evaluate the extent of the problem, where it most frequently occurs as well as the effectiveness of future changes in training and discipline. The law also does not give the public the right to go into court and ask a judge to order the police to stop racially profiling area residents and motorists.

Protection from racial profiling: Insufficient

Members of Congress supporting the End Racial Profiling Act of 2004:
Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representatives Danny K. Davis, Luis V. Gutierrez, Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Bobby L. Rush, and Janice D. Schakowsky