Another black man, Keith Lamont Scott–perhaps unarmed–was shot and killed by a Charlotte police officer on Tuesday. Many people are taking to the streets and protesting the fact of another black man being killed by the police. They are protesting what looks like a clear racist act similar to the many other recent killings of blacks by police officers. Some are arguing that this could not be racism because the police officer who shot Mr. Scott is black. However, if we look at this clearly we should see there is little if any difference in these shootings whether the officer is white or black. These officers are following policies and practices of their police departments in particular and policing in this country in general. As one big city police department’s spokespersons said, “Officers’ safety comes first, and not infringing on people’s rights comes second.” Therefore, the shoot first phenomenon we are witnessing all too often.
It is difficult, however, to discuss occurrences of racism when the main ways of thinking about racism is that it is the intentional product of occasional bigoted people, and not of institutional practices. The former does occur; however, the latter–institutional policies and practices–are where we should focus attention. If racist consequences result from an institution’s laws, customs, or practices, that institution is racist whether or not the individuals maintaining those practices have racist intentions.
Social institutions are central to societies. They are social arrangements through which collective action takes place to maintain and perpetuate the society and its culture. Major American institutions include the family, education, business and labor, health care, housing, religion, welfare, law enforcement, and politics. To have social institutions function in desired ways, societies set up formal and informal rules, i.e., policies, practices, and procedures within institutions. Policies, practices, and procedures in American institutions are established by the predominant culture. These policies and practices may unintentionally or intentionally be racially discriminatory. However, racism in American institutions is normative. In other words, racist patterns operate as ordinary forms of behavior and bureaucracy. Some scholars hold that these racist patterns are the result of historical practices. Historically, the United States was developed by a system of racial slavery and the ideology that was developed within its institutions to support the existence of slavery. Slavery was followed by 100 years of formal discrimination (segregation) and the ideology that supported that practice. Although anti-discrimination laws have been legislated, old racial practices still exist within many social institutions. Until these practices are changed, we will continue to have institutional racism.
There is an urgent need for the policies and practices of law enforcement institutions to be reviewed and updated–by outside agencies and committees.