The Impact of the McPherson Document on the Policing of Ethnic Minorities - Case Study Example

Introduction The 1993 case of Stephen Laurence has brought to limelight the al racism that is so prevalent in the official machinery. It is the most despicable practice that violates human rights and promotes a deliberate sense of inequality and fear among the minority ethnic group who are designated by their color of skin. There is urgent need to address this issue. McPherson report conducted in-depth enquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence and found that racism had remained an integral part of official machinery especially in police force and judiciary, the two vital part of social fabric who are representative of the government in safeguarding the interests of the general public. Broadly speaking racial profiling can be defined as those actions of police and government officials that are based on racial prejudices. In the new emerging equations of society, racial profiling has become extremely contentious and the discriminate behaviour of police and people in authority in government departments, have posed very serious questions of the relevance of the fundamental rights of the citizens possessing different skin color. The human rights violation and harassment, in the name of justice has provoked a wide spread feeling of outrage and national shame. Background of the case Stephen Laurence was a 18 years old black youth who was killed on 22nd April 1993 by five white youths, when he was returning home with his friend Duwayne Brooks. The youths had first called him racist names and after stabbing twice, ran away. Stephen Laurence was bled to death on the roadside and police made no effort to arrest persons who had murdered the young boy in the broad daylight. The case was brought to the limelight by the public and became especially famous because of the following factors; It involved two police enquiries, 2 police reviews, Crown prosecution services, committal and trail proceedings, private prosecution, coroner’s public inquest and finally after four years of the murder, a public enquiry (McPherson report) was instituted. The government had incurred over £30 million expenditures without coming to any worthwhile conclusion. (Cottle, 2005:2) The McPherson report had exposed the hollow claims of the British Government and to redeem the falling credibility within and outside the nation, the government needed to address the issue of racial discrimination and racial profiling within the government departments. There still have been no convictions and the murderers are still roaming scot-free. The report concluded that ‘Stephen Lawrence was unlawfully killed in a completely unprovoked racist attack by five white youths’. (Macpherson, (1999), Para 2.5). The parents of Stephen have just received apologies from the police commissioner and the government. Impact of McPherson report on policing McPherson Report was the first public enquiry that emphatically asserted that for fair and just trial, transparency and public participation is vital. The increasing distrust in the Metropolitan Police and the judiciary system has promoted a sense of insecurity and defiance amongst the ethnic minority. While previous reports like ‘Scarman report’ had made pertinent points regarding trust building measures but lack of interest in the issue and efficient response by the politicians and media had resulted in negligible effort in this direction. Widespread publicity and huge public response of the McPherson Report has necessitated incorporation of effective strategies and measures for rebuilding trust in the official machinery, especially metropolitan police and judiciary system. The inclusion of ethnic minorities in the force and judicial system is seen as major step towards inculcating global values within the system and creating the platform for better relationship within the society, comprising of people from different race, culture and colour. The McPherson Report had also prompted the new labour government and Prime Minister Tony Blair to declare that ‘We cannot be a beacon to the world unless the talents of all the people shine through’ (Travis and Rowan, 1997:17). The recommendations of the report were seriously taken up by the government and under the aegis of new home secretary, Charles Clarke, in 1999, ‘Lawrence Steering Group was set up to deliver an action plan and to oversee its implementation’ (Foster, Newman, Souhami, 2005:3). In 2000, race Relation Act of 1976 was amended and over 43000 public authorities were bound by statutory duty to remove unlawful race discrimination and promote diversity in work force. The experience of people who have undergone atrocities under racial profiling has scarred them for life and others live under the constant fear of becoming its victim in future. The amendment would go a long way in providing them with a much needed sense of security. Policing in UK has undergone tremendous transformation since McPherson Report’s recommendations have been taken as guidelines to improve policing. Introduction of ‘community policing’ has helped to inculcate confidence amongst the multicultural society. Community policing can be broadly defined as partnership of community and local police to fight social injustice and crime. As Security Minister Shaun Woodward says ‘Community policing means the whole community getting involved. The police should draw their strength from across the whole community and the community should feel that they too are fully reflected in their local police’ (Woodward, 2005). The government has been making sincere efforts to implement measures within the police force to remove racial prejudices and promote inclusion of ethnic minority. The creation of ‘The Black and Asian Police Association’ (BAPA) reiterates government’s good intentions. As a public body its main objective is to oversee that discriminatory practices are discouraged in public- private life. It ‘shares the statutory duty to tackle racism and its insidious effects.....progress can only be made if the work is carried out in partnership with the Police Service and the minority ethnic communities, in terms of service delivery not only to its employees but also the community’ (BAPA). Perhaps the most important aspect of the McPherson Report was that the perception of the people, especially whites, changed towards the black population. While initially the black youths were looked upon as thugs, uncivilized and uncouth, the media profiling of Stephen Lawrence, dramatically changed the outlook of the people. Stephen was portrayed as decent, hardworking and intelligent youth who had the same aspirations as that of any white youth. The public, irrespective of colour and race became sentimental and started identifying with the family of the murdered black youth. I personally believe that McPherson report had brought forth a significant social change whereby the ethnic minority had started emerging as individuals who are also entitled to constitutional rights and basic human dignity. Reference The Black and Asian Police Association (BAPA). Available from: [Accessible 19 November, 2008]. Cottle, S. (2005) Mediatized public crisis and civil society renewal: The racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. London: Crime Media Culture, Sage Publications London. Foster, J., Newburn, T., and Souhami, A. (2005) Assessing the impact of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. London: Home Office Research Study 294, Development and Statistics Directorate. Scarman, Lord Justice.(1981) The Scarman Report. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Macpherson, Sir William. (1999) Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. Report of an Inquiry by Sir William of Cluny, CM 4262-1. London: HMSO. Woodward, Shaun. (19 May 2005). Media Centre, NRO. Available from: < http://www.nio.gov.uk/media-detail.htm?newsID=11459> [Accessible 19 November, 2008]. Read More