James B. Forman Jr.

In the following viewpoint James B. Forman Jr. argues that blacks are much more likely than whites to be stopped, searched, and harassed by police. Forman writes that liberal leaders have decried racial profiling, and he argues that conservative leaders, who are more inclined to defend police tactics, should also reject racial profiling because it undermines both effective policing and the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law. Forman contends that racial profiling pits the police against black communities, when instead police should view communities as partners in crime-reduction efforts. Forman is a fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C., and chair of the Maya Angelou Public Charter Board of Trustees.

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