Crucially we need to understand the complex ways in which the occupational culture of policing constructs and sustains particular forms of racialised relations. There are two key features of this culture. One is a tendency to use stereotypical thinking generally and in relation to ethnic minorities in particular. The other is to neglect the pertinence of race to rouitne police work. The presence and absence of 'race' is woven into the routines of the occupational culture.
Police action can, as the Lawrence Inquiry report suggests be 'unwitting'.
To argue the existence of 'unwitting' action, however, it is necessary to demonstrate that police officers could have acted differently. The murder of Stephen Lawrence and the police investigation into it have to be placed within this context if an adequate sociological analysis is to be undertaken. The full text of articles published in Sociological Research Online is restricted to readers on institutional networks. If you are reading the journal from a university or other institution, please ask your library to purchase a subscription through one of the traditional subscription agents. Subscription Information Free Access via ISP Networks Sociological Research Online is still freely available to people reading from a dial-up network.