Stereotyping and Theft

Joseph Rivers was an innocent traveler who fell victim to stereotyping by law enforcement agents. Rivers ethnic background is African American, was the only black person on the train that was searched and suspected as being a drug dealer. Other passengers were only questioned. Why didn’t they ask to search everyone one the train? This is in no doubt an unfair act by law enforcement agents caused by stereotyping. From Psychology Today, “If I ask you what a "typical drug user" looks like, who do you see — a Black person?” (Psychology Today). Also according to Psychology Today, “African Americans are disproportionately targeted, arrested, and jailed for drug related crimes.” (Psychology Today). This clearly indicates that African Americans are being stereotyped as drug user and dealers.

Rivers also fell victim to a legal process called civil asset forfeiture. The civil asset forfeiture allows law enforcement agency to seize assets they believe were obtained by criminal acts without even being charged with a crime. I believe the civil asset forfeiture is against our four amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable search and seizer. This is a complete hypocrisy, or a paradox of the judicial system and our constitutional rights. During the search, law enforcement agents discovered that Rivers had 16,000 dollars cash in his possession. The law enforcement agents believed that Rivers obtained the money through drug dealing with no other positive evidences. In reality Rivers earned the money by working and help from family members, so he could travel to California to fulfil his dream of producing music videos.

The monstrosity of all the unfairness has now caused Rivers to pause his pursue of his dream as a music video producer and he has now has incurred legal fee to have his money returned. 

Wing, N. (2015, May 7). DEA Steals $16,000 In Cash From Young Black Man, Because He Must Be A Drug Dealer. Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/dea-asset-forfeiture-joseph-rivers_n_7231744.html 

Williams M. (2011, DEC 26). African Americans and Pathological Stereotypes. Retrieved May 8, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/culturally-speaking/201112/african-americans-and-pathological-stereotypes