Understanding the Connections Between Race and Police Violence (From System in Black and White: Exploring the Connections Between Race, Crime, and Justice, P 73-84, 2000, Michael W. Markowitz and Delores D. Jones-Brown, eds. -- See NCJ-183600)

• NCJ Number: 183604
• Author(s): Helen Taylor Greene
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Collected Work
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

According to Locke (1996), research fails to support a systematic relationship between race and police use of excessive force, although there is evidence of what he labels "racially linked outcomes" in law enforcement.

Abstract

These outcomes include a disproportionately high number of persons of color who are shot at, injured, or killed by the police. The disproportionate representation of blacks as victims of police violence is best understood in a multi-component theoretical framework that includes historical, sociological, political, and criminal justice factors. While the multi-component framework helps to understand police violence, finding solutions to the problem is also necessary. Preventing and controlling police violence are closely related to understanding racial attitudes of police officers, especially toward repeat offenders. Despite human relations and diversity training, blacks are still viewed by many police officers as criminal, inferior persons to be feared. Until the relationship between racist attitudes, as opposed to race, and police violence is better understood, the problem will persist. 60 references, 9 notes, and 2 tables