Which term describes unequal treatment by a law enforcement officer based on a person's ethnic or racial characteristics, gender, religion, or sexual orientation?

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This question tests recognizing terms for biased, unequal policing tied to protected characteristics. Bias-based profiling is the best fit because it directly links the act of profiling—targeting or scrutinizing individuals for enforcement decisions—to bias rooted in race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. It captures the practice of using preconceived notions to decide who to stop or investigate.

Discrimination is a broad term for unequal treatment in general, but it doesn’t inherently emphasize the profiling process or the bias guiding it. Explicit bias refers to biases one is aware of and may consciously act on, while implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes that can influence decisions without awareness. In the context described, bias-based profiling precisely describes the combination of profiling behavior and biased motivation.