Arrest-Related Deaths Program: Pilot Study of Redesigned Survey Methodology

• NCJ Number: 252675
• Author(s): Duren Banks; Michael Planty; Lance Couzens; Philip Lee; Connor Brooks; Kevin M. Scott; Anthony Whyde
• Date Published: July 2019
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Series: BJS Technical Reports
• Grant Number(s): 2012-R2-CX-K011
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Survey; Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Report (Annual/Periodic); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description

Annotation

This Technical Report describes the data-collection approach and results from the survey phase of a program-redesign study of the Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS') Arrest-Related Deaths (ARD) program.

Abstract

Presents the methodology and findings from a pilot study that used a combination of open-source news searches and a survey of law enforcement agencies and medical examiners' and coroners' offices to identify deaths that occurred in the process of arrest by law enforcement officials. It does not provide national estimates. The pilot study collected data on the manner and cause of death, decedent characteristics, and incident characteristics, including actions taken by law enforcement officers and decedents. Findings indicate that the open-source methodology alone identifies the majority of law enforcement homicides, but agency surveys aid in identifying deaths by other causes (e.g., accidents, suicides, and natural causes). Results complement those provided in Arrest-Related Deaths Program Redesign Study, 2015-16: Preliminary Findings.