True. An interesting study was conducted in San Diego in the year 2000 found that people of color, including Hispanic/Latinos, were no more likely than anyone else to have drugs or contraband on their person or in their vehicles.
However, 40% of the people who were stopped and 60% of the population that was searched were Latino/Hispanic Americans or African Americans, while they were only 28% of the population.
This is an example of a case that needs a closer look. Do the area agencies need additional training? Is data collection necessary? Is it a police cultural issue? It is important to note that racial profiling is an issue for members of this culture.
Racial profiling refers to the targeting of particular individuals by law enforcement authorities based not on their behavior, but rather their personal characteristics. It is generally used to encompass more than simply an individual's race.
About half of Hispanics in the U.S. (52%) say they have experienced discrimination or have been treated unfairly because of their race or ethnicity, according to a newly released Pew Research Center survey on race in America.
Hispanics’ experience with discrimination or being treated unfairly varies greatly by age. Among Hispanics ages 18 to 29, 65% say they have experienced discrimination or unfair treatment because of their race or ethnicity. By comparison, only 35% of Hispanics 50 and older say the same – a 30-percentage-point gap. Get more details at PewResearch.org.