Publisher's Synopsis
"Police in France have broad discretion to carry out identity checks even when no wrongdoing is suspected. The stops--known as controle d'identité--can involve lengthy questioning, orders to empty pockets, bag searches, and intrusive pat-downs. Statistical and qualitative research indicates that these checks particularly affect black and Arab young men and boys, subjecting them to frequent humiliating pat-downs without any explanation, in some cases accompanied by insults and physical abuse. Individuals stopped by the police are rarely told the legal basis for the stop, do not receive any written record of the stop, and can face criminal prosecution for bringing complaints. The frequent stops experienced by young black and Arabs suggest that police are engaging in unlawful ethnic profiling--making assumptions about who is more likely to be a delinquent based on appearance rather than on actual behavior. The Root of Humiliation, based on
