Heather MacDonald

In the following viewpoint, Heather MacDonald argues that there is no credible evidence that racial profiling—when police officers stop and question a suspect because of his or her race—is used routinely in the war on drugs. However, she contends, race may be one of several factors that police officers consider when determining whether a suspect should be questioned further. Police often play the odds by pulling over someone who fits many of the components of a drug courier profile, such as the driver’s race, the make of car, the direction traveled, and the number and ethnicity of passengers, she asserts. MacDonald maintains that there is nothing illegal about using race as one factor among many when assessing whether a crime has been committed. MacDonald is the John...