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Posted: January 2nd, 2024
Post and discuss two to three current issues and trends in Criminal Justice they feel may be an interesting topic to tackle for this course. Students are to also construct an argumentative thesis statement on the issues selected and discuss them.
Must be 500 words and 2-3 citations.
Police Use of Force: Are Current Policies Appropriate?
The appropriate level of force that police should be authorized to use, especially in non-lethal situations, has been a topic of ongoing national debate. While law enforcement argues they need discretion and support to do their dangerous jobs, others claim current policies and training need reform to reduce unnecessary harm. This paper will argue that police use of force policies in many jurisdictions allow for force that is excessive or could reasonably be avoided, and reforms are needed to balance public and officer safety.
Excessive force complaints against police have been rising in recent years (Miller, 2015). A 2016 study analyzing police-involved deaths found that black individuals, in particular, were more likely to be killed by police than other racial groups, even when not armed (Edwards et al., 2019). While officers face real threats, these statistics indicate current rules may permit force beyond what is strictly necessary in some situations. Reforming policies could help address this while still supporting law enforcement.
One approach some departments have taken is increasing de-escalation training to help officers defuse tensions through communication rather than immediately resorting to physical force (Police Executive Research Forum, 2012). However, not all agencies have sufficiently prioritized this. Mandating expanded de-escalation training nationwide could help curb unnecessary force incidents. Body-worn cameras also promote accountability and have been found to reduce complaints against officers in many jurisdictions (Ariel et al., 2015). Yet their use is still not universal.
Naturally, there are concerns that restricting force could endanger police. However, evidence shows well-trained officers can protect themselves and the public without relying on force as a first resort (Police Executive Research Forum, 2014). Striking the right balance requires acknowledging the humanity of both officers and civilians. Overall, modest reforms to policies and training could make the system fairer while still supporting the important work of law enforcement. Further discussion is clearly still needed, but steps should be taken to prevent harm where reasonably possible.
In summary, while police must be able to defend themselves, current rules in many areas may condone force beyond bare necessity. Reforms including expanded de-escalation training and universal body cameras could help address excessive incidents without jeopardizing safety. Finding the right balance is complex but critical to building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. More work remains, but progress is possible through open-minded policy changes and respect on all sides.
Ariel, B., Sutherland, A., Henstock, D., Young, J., Drover, P., Sykes, J., Megicks, S., & Henderson, R. (2015). Report: Increases in police use of force in the presence of body-worn cameras are driven by officer discretion: A protocol-based subgroup analysis of ten randomized experiments. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 12(3), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-016-9261-3
Edwards, F., Lee, H., & Esposito, M. (2019). Risk of being killed by police use of force in the United States by age, race–ethnicity, and sex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(34), 16793–16798. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1821204116
Miller, L. (2015). Why cops keep killing unarmed black men. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/opinion/why-cops-keep-killing-unarmed-black-men.html
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