If we expect everybody to abide by the rules, we must ensure that those rules are applied equally. They want to use what they know about crime to sift efficiently through thousands of possible suspects, then find and question the likely wrong-doers. This is looking at previous law enforcement experience. As fears of domestic terrorism have grown, the use of profiles has expanded from the highways to the skyways. A White House commission, formed after TWA Flight 800 exploded in July 1996, strongly endorsed in February the use of passenger profiling as a security measure.
Major airlines call it the single most-effective security technique they have.
But civil rights groups say airline profiles have only put a scientific veneer on prejudice. Both groups are pushing the government to act. The U.S. Department of Transportion announced in October it will survey airline screening procedures over the next year to see if they hit minority travelers harder. It found the program, to begin next year, will not discriminate if used as designed. To try to learn how often police stop and search minority drivers, Conyers has introduced the Traffic Stop Statistics Act.