The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to release a report as early as this week criticizing the police department in Ferguson, Missouri, for disproportionately targeting, ticketing and arresting African-Americans.

According to The New York Times, the report accuses Ferguson police of unfairly targeting African-Americans during traffic stops, which led to a buildup of racial animosity and mistrust among residents towards police.

The report also states the police department relied on ticketing and fines to help balance the city's budget.

In addition, the Justice Department's report is expected to include a reference to a racist joke that was circulated by email among city officials, said several law enforcement officials.

Following the report, Ferguson officials will either be forced to negotiate a settlement with the Justice Department or they will face a civil rights lawsuit filed by the DOJ.

A recent study published by the Missouri attorney general found that blacks accounted for 86 percent of traffic stops in 2013, although they make up only 63 percent of the population. After being stopped, the report states black drivers were twice as likely to be searched despite the fact white drivers were more likely to be in possession of an illegal substance.

Investigators do not need to prove racial bias played a role in the Ferguson police practices or that the police intentionally singled out people of color. Instead, they just need to show that the police tactics had a "disparate impact" on African-Americans and that this was avoidable.

The report comes in light of the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager who was fatally shot by a white Ferguson Police Officer named Darren Wilson in August 2014. The killing sparked months of national outrage and protests. However, a grand jury decided in November not to indict Wilson in the shooting, which sparked more demonstration across the country.

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