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Reducing Ethnic Profiling in the European Union - Open Society ...

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II. A Holistic Approachto <strong>Reduc<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Ethnic</strong> <strong>Profil<strong>in</strong>g</strong>Given its negative effects on <strong>in</strong>dividuals, ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority communities, and law enforcementefficacy, ethnic profil<strong>in</strong>g should be addressed, ameliorated, and ultimately eradicated.In order to do so, political leaders and senior law enforcement management mustfirst recognize that ethnic profil<strong>in</strong>g may be a problem. The next step is to exam<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong>specific dynamics that produce unjustified and disproportionate focus on ethnic m<strong>in</strong>orities<strong>in</strong> law enforcement actions. F<strong>in</strong>ally, law enforcement agencies must <strong>in</strong>troduce andimplement new management and operational practices.Recognition of ethnic profil<strong>in</strong>g as a problem often emerges <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> aftermath ofcivic unrest and deteriorat<strong>in</strong>g relations between law enforcement and ethnic m<strong>in</strong>oritycommunities, as happened <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> 1981 Brixton riots.A commitment to study and address ethnic profil<strong>in</strong>g can also follow <strong>the</strong> implementationof new anti-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation laws and <strong>the</strong> establishment of national equality policieswhich affect <strong>the</strong> work of law enforcement <strong>in</strong>stitutions. Law enforcement agencies<strong>the</strong>mselves can also choose to proactively reach out to ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority communities andadopt more equitable policies and practices. Proactive efforts can <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gethnic, racial, and religious diversity with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> police itself by recruit<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>orities <strong>in</strong>tolaw enforcement, and build<strong>in</strong>g supportive relations with ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority and immigrantcommunities.Once ethnic profil<strong>in</strong>g has been recognized as a potential problem, law enforcementauthorities can <strong>in</strong>stitute a number of corrective policies and practices. Actors atevery level of <strong>the</strong> problem— from <strong>European</strong> <strong>Union</strong> officials to national and local politicalleaders; officials of equality, anti-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation or compla<strong>in</strong>ts-handl<strong>in</strong>g organizations;29

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