Profiling

[Mandingo]

Profiling is bad, isn't it? At least when somebody, actually anybody, applies it to you, right? Because they are inevitably waaay off the mark when they profile you, aren't they? I mean for instance, did you know that just brushing your teeth makes you very suspect in a heinous crime? Because decades of research and statistical analysis shows beyond a shadow of doubt that 98,1% of red-light runners brush(ed) their teeth at least at some point in the preceding 2 years. So odds are very high you just ran that red light back there, mister! High enough to haul you in for some leisurely questioning. After a couple hours when they had coffee and donuts down the street while you stared at the naked lightbulb in the holding tank.
So forth, so on. Bla-bla.

OTOH profiling is an invaluable scientific tool too. Example: just yesterday it was published that profiling zebras and their habitats finally resolved the age old question why they have stripes! I kid you not!
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26871586 and http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/01/zebras-stripes-evolution-animals-science/

Profiling â€" statistical analysis â€" is a very important tool in most other sciences too, of course. Alpha, beta, and gamma!

So here we have the dichotomy that profiling â€" one of science's supertools â€" is getting a bad rap because it's being abused by e.g. nearly unaccountable cops and feds to harrass the 'free' citizen. Hooray for phonecams and Youtube, folks!
The next step is getting them to account in a public court of law. But to be credible that would require straight judges. And how the hell are we going to find those?

I know! Let's profile the judges!

[aitm]

I think most people believe profiling is bull-shit....however....most people, when their or the lives of their loved ones are on the line, find profiling extremely expedient, judicious and most of all spot on.

[Jason78]

On the one hand you've got a cop using his intuition, and on the other hand you've scientists using maths.

Yeah....   Completely the same.

[Mandingo]

I think most people believe profiling is bull-shit....however....most people, when their or the lives of their loved ones are on the line, find profiling extremely expedient, judicious and most of all spot on.

So that would prove 'most people' are hypocrite as hell.

[Mandingo]

On the one hand you've got a cop using his intuition

More like using his innate powercrazy nastiness.

and on the other hand you've scientists using maths.

Yeah....   Completely the same.

According to politics and the law â€" the rules applied to us â€" they are the same. And millions of 'free' citizens are harrassed daily on the basis of it.

[aitm]

So that would prove 'most people' are hypocrite as hell.

true dat. Most people want "profiling" to be a real evil, and most times it is. But when the shit hits the fan everyone seems to want profiling, if it will give one more layer of comfort, even you.