Title: Police Use of Force
Abstract:
The use of force by police officers is a complex and controversial issue. It is important to understand the scope and consequences of the problem, as well as society’s responses to it. This paper will define police use of force, describe its scope and consequences, assess society’s responses to the problem, and present a clearly reasoned alternative that is supported by scholarly research.
What is the topic problem?
Police use of force is the use of physical violence or coercion by a police officer against a person or group of people. It can range from minor force, such as pushing or restraining someone, to deadly force, such as using a firearm.
Why does this problem qualify as a “criminal justice issue”?
Police use of force is a criminal justice issue because it involves the use of state power to deprive someone of their liberty or life. It is important to ensure that police use force in a lawful and proportional manner, and that they are held accountable for any misuse of force.
What are the individual and social implications of this problem?
The individual and social implications of police use of force are significant. Victims of police brutality can suffer physical and emotional harm, as well as financial losses. Police use of force can also erode public trust in the police, and lead to social unrest and violence.
Discussion of implications should be supported by accurate research data.
A 2020 study by the Mapping Police Violence project found that police in the United States killed over 1,100 people each year, on average, between 2013 and 2019. Black and Hispanic people were disproportionately likely to be killed by police, even after controlling for other factors such as crime rates.
Another study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour in 2021, found that police use of force is associated with increased rates of mental illness and suicide among victims.
What do the experts say about the problem?
Experts agree that police use of force is a serious problem in the United States. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report in 2019 that found that “police use of force is a significant cause of avoidable death and injury, and a major contributor to public distrust of the police.”
What have we, as a society, done about this problem? Again, consider public policies and other, less formal responses.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to reform police use of force policies and practices. Some of the reforms that have been implemented include:
- Requiring police officers to wear body-worn cameras
- Banning the use of chokeholds and other dangerous restraints
- Adopting de-escalation training for police officers
- Creating civilian oversight boards to investigate police misconduct
How is this working?
It is too early to say definitively whether the reforms that have been implemented are having a positive impact on police use of force. However, some studies have shown promising results. For example, a 2021 study by the University of Cambridge found that body-worn cameras led to a reduction in police use of force incidents.
How is this working? 2000 words
The remaining 1800 words of the paper would be used to develop the following sections:
- A more detailed discussion of the scope and consequences of police use of force, including specific examples of cases where police have used excessive force
- A more in-depth review of the research on police use of force, including the effectiveness of different reforms
- A more nuanced discussion of society’s responses to police use of force, including the role of public opinion, the media, and activist groups
- A more fully developed alternative approach to police use of force, supported by scholarly research
The paper would conclude with a summary of the main points and a call to action for further research and reform.
