Rights group says profiling more pervasive

WASHINGTON – Profiling by police is so pervasive that 32 million people in the United States say they have been harassed because of their race, religion, or ethnicity, a human rights group said Monday.

The report by Amnesty International USA also said that use of race- and religion-based investigative tactics by local, state and federal law enforcement has increased since 9/11, with focuses on Arabs and Muslims.

“Prior to 9/11, racial profiling was frequently referred to as “driving while black,’ ” the report said. “Now, the practice can be more accurately characterized as driving, flying, walking, worshipping, shopping or staying at home while Black, Brown, Red, Yellow, Muslim or of Middle Eastern appearance.”

The group estimated that 87 million people in the United States are at “high risk” of being subjects of racial or religious profiling. The estimates were derived from “cross-referencing current population estimates” and public opinion polls in 2001 and 2002.

Amnesty recommended that Congress and state governments pass laws that ban racial profiling.

President Bush said in 2001 that racial profiling was “wrong,” and the Justice Department has guidelines on the use of race and religion in investigations.