Race Riots of 1967 - An Analysis of Police Violence in Detroit and Newark

• NCJ Number: 90114
• Journal: Journal of Black Studies Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1982) Pages: 261-274
• Author(s): A Bergesen
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Earlier version of this article was presented at the Research Symposium on Social Indicators of Institutional Racism-Sexism, University of California, Los Angeles, April 29-30, 1977.

Annotation

Empirical analysis of the specific circumstances of death for each person killed during the Detroit and Newark, N.J., race riots of 1967 revealed that official violence escalated as the riot unfolded in the virtual absence of corresponding civilian violence, suggesting the presence of a police riot in both cities.

Abstract

Data were obtained from two journalists' books -- Sauter and Hine's 'Nightmare in Detroit' and 'Hyden's Rebellion in Newark' -- and the Kerner Report. These accounts indicated that the most fundamental distinction among fatalities was whether the fatal violence was committed by civilians, officials (police, the National Guard, and Federal troops), or by some type of accident. The study classified all deaths into the following categories: civilians kill civilians or officials, accidents, officials shoot at looters, officials shoot at cars and crowds, authorities shoot at apartment houses, and personal attacks. In both riots, about 75 percent of the total violence emanated from officials, with the remainder being evenly split between accidental and civilian-initiated violence. The largest single category in both riots was officials shooting at looters, cars, and crowds, although shooting of looters was more prevalent in Detroit and shooting of cars and crowds more common in Newark. Police accounted for 19 of the 29 deaths in Detroit, although the National Guard was present throughout the riot and Federal troops arrived at the midpoint. The police in Newark caused 14 of the 17 deaths, although the Guard arrived on the second day of the 5-day riot and Federal troops were not used. The analysis revealed two general trends which were more pronounced in Detroit: (1) civilian and accidental violence seemed to largely precede official violence and (2) official violence became more indiscriminate, random, and personal as the riot progressed, although civilian and accidental violence virtually disappeared. Tables, graphs, two footnotes, and three references accompany the paper.