NCJ Number
206208
Date Published
2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper examines police violations of human rights in the United States, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, and European countries.
Abstract
Cases of alleged police violations of human rights have been well documented and scrutinized by the media and the legal system in the United States. A number of police officers have been found guilty, and others have pled guilty to various criminal charges and many have been sent to prison. In 1998, the Human Rights Watch Report stated that "police brutality is one of the most serious, enduring, and divisive human rights violations in the United States." Police human rights violations in the United States have included assaults related to an arrest, torture while in police custody, death while in police custody, unjustified police shootings, excessive force in police raids, excessive riot and crowd control, intimidation and revenge, and psychological intimidation. Although police brutality in the United States is heavily publicized in the world press, there have also been instances of police brutality in Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, and European countries. This paper cites some instances of police violations of human rights in these countries. There are still many post-Soviet countries that have not addressed human rights violations by police either in law or practice. These countries must be influenced by the Council of Europe to become involved in the movement to improve the democratization of police services, which will involve viewing the police as the servants of democracy and human rights while enhancing the safety of all citizens. 21 references