NCJ Number
192298
Date Published
2002
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines the prevalence of police appropriate and abusive use of force, with attention to social research on police abusive use of force and ways to counter it.
Abstract
Social scientific evidence provides few firm generalizations about the use and abuse of force by police. It does indicate that police use physical force in a small proportion of their encounters with the public; and when the police do use force, it is normally a form of force at the lower end of a continuum of force. Police use of lethal force is rare. Officers are more likely to use force when suspects are disrespectful to officers, although the dynamics of these interactions are not well understood. A small number of officers use force with disproportionate frequency, although there is not sufficient empirical evidence to know why this is. There is not adequate evidence to conclude whether the use of police force, particularly improper force, is affected by a citizen's race. Although social scientific analysis of the use of force by police leaves many questions unanswered, it is clear that police officers' behavior and judgments regarding the use of force can be molded through training by and observation of skilled colleagues. Some officers may be especially prone to violence; this requires that when such a behavioral pattern is identified, intervention must be undertaken. 92 references