Which term refers to discrimination that occurs in practice rather than through formal laws or written policies?

• A. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
• B. De facto discrimination
• C. Police cynicism
• D. Affirmative action

Answer: (B)

Discrimination that shows up in practice rather than in formal laws is called de facto discrimination. De facto means “in fact” or “in practice”—the reality of how people are treated, even when no official rule requires it. In policing or everyday life, this shows up when certain groups experience unequal treatment because of how things actually operate—discretion, biases, or habitual practices—rather than because a written policy mandates it. For example, officers might disproportionately stop or scrutinize people from a particular group due to routine patterns or stereotype-based decisions, not because a law says they must. By contrast, de jure discrimination is discrimination written into laws or official policies, the memorial option is a monument, police cynicism deals with attitudes, and affirmative action is a policy intended to promote inclusion. So, de facto discrimination best fits the description.