Profiling, Cajun Style: The FBI Investigation?

Abstract

For over 30 years, the use of racial and/or demographic profiling by law enforcement personnel has persisted. Although numerous academic and governmental scholars have recognised the existence of profiling, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), America's premier law enforcement agency, is apparently either unable or unwilling to investigate these allegations proactively. In this article, the author will review a reactive investigation conducted by the FBI into allegations of profiling in South Louisiana that developed out of the furore surrounding two nationally televised NBC ‘Dateline’ broadcasts in January and August 1997. The data presented were gathered from official FBI documents acquired through the Freedom of Public Information Act (FOPIA), the ‘Dateline’ transcripts, and research conducted by the author. The results will suggest that the FBI may lack interest in profiling investigations for a variety of reasons.