Policing in Arab-American Communities after September 11

Many Arab-American communities were troubled by increased scrutiny following the 2001 terrorist attacks. NIJ-funded researchers examined the events and influences that created tensions between some law enforcement agencies and Arab-American communities.

They identified specific obstacles: mutual distrust, lack of cultural awareness, language barriers and resident's concerns about immigration status. They also identified some promising approaches to overcoming the obstacles — many of which are consistent with general principles of community policing.

Read the report (pdf, 16 pages).