Re: Profiling: Right and Wrong times to use it The problem, and I've noticed people who are rabid right wing supporters usually fall victim to this, is lazy language skills.



Profiling is correct, it's what police at all levels use, you search for the most likely perps who could have done something. It's usually used AFTER a crime is committed, because it's AFTER a crime is committed, clues and theories start to be based on evidence collected AFTER the crime.



Racial Profiling, on the other hand, and what the AZ law could allow (please note I said 'could') is for people to be stopped and searched or detained BEFORE a crime is committed. (I will get a reply that states illegal aliens have already committed a crime by getting and being here, and I agree, but that's not the issue at hand in this thread)



Basically, it's all about labels, if you need to define something by adding a specific label to it, such as BLACK athlete, or FEMALE doctor, you are institutionally identifying them by what is different about them, i.e. black or female.



If you label and allow profilling by racial differences, BEFORE crimes are committed, that is illegal, and against the Constitution of the USA.