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Northern Essex Community College

Module 11 Discussion Activity

Review the discussion overview, learning objectives, prompt, and participation expectations before posting.

Overview

Racial profiling remains one of the most debated issues in modern policing, raising questions about fairness, ethics, and effectiveness. In this discussion, students will explore insights from assigned readings, online research, and the article Racial Bias and Disparities in Proactive Policing to examine how racial profiling affects communities, police departments, and the broader criminal justice system. Using bullet points, students will organize their findings and support them with credible evidence. The activity concludes with a personal reflection on whether racial profiling can ever be justified, encouraging students to think critically about justice, equality, and accountability in law enforcement.

Learning Objectives

(These are not the questions to be answered. Please review and answer the Discussion Topic(s).)

  • LO1: Discuss the use of racial profiling within the criminal justice system. (SLO1)
  • LO2: Explain the impact of crime data and its connection to racial profiling.  (SLO6)
Discussion Topic(s)
  • Using your assigned readings, the Internet, and Racial Bias and Disparities in Proactive Policing that addresses the controversial practice of Racial Profiling.
  • Using just bullets, consider the following, supported by evidence… How does Racial Profiling impact the following:
    • community
    • police department
    • criminal justice system as a whole
  • Opinion: Is racial profiling justified in certain instances?
Acceptable and Ethical Use of AI
  • Use AI to help you organize and synthesize evidence from the assigned readings and other sources regarding the impact of racial profiling on communities, police departments, and the criminal justice system, so you can clearly structure your bullet-point responses before writing.
  • Use AI to assist you in clarifying the arguments for and against racial profiling discussed in the course materials, helping you frame an evidence-based opinion before completing the activity.
Directions

Please read all instructions carefully before participating in the discussion.

  • Students must complete one Main Post that answers the discussion topic using more than 250 words.
  • Students must reply to at least two of their classmates (Peer Responses) using at least 150 words. Responses should encourage further dialogue in the discussion forum. Asking a classmate, a question is a nice way of furthering that dialogue.
  • Students must first compose an original Main Post to gain access to the discussion forum. Attempts to post a blank initial post or anything other than the true Main post will result in a 20-point deduction.
Important Reminder

Important: Submitting incomplete or placeholder responses may result in a grade deduction based on course policies.