Impact of Race on the Investigation of Excessive Force Allegations Against Police

• NCJ Number: 161899
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: (1996) Pages: 1-15
• Author(s): W A Kerstetter; K A Rasinski; C L Heiert
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 15 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: American Bar Association
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

To ascertain the role of race and other factors in the disposition of complaints against police, this study examined allegations of excessive use of nondeadly force by Chicago police officers.

Abstract

Using models from social psychology, numerous dimensions of complaints of police brutality and the investigation of those complaints were tested to determine their impact on complaint disposition. Two variables, evidence and duty status, had widespread significance in the models. The only significant racial effect in the models was the interactive variable reflecting investigator race and complainant race. When deciding a case involving a complainant of the other race, both black and white investigators were less likely to make a definitive, negative judgment about the complaint than when the complainant was of the same race. Findings appear to support the hypothesis that the social situation of the decisionmaker may inhibit the impact of stereotypes. 25 references, 6 notes, and 6 tables