NCJ Number
65876
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 101-113
Date Published
1980
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF SHOOTINGS BY NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICERS DURING 1971-75 ARE EXAMINED AND THEIR RELATION TO COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE STUDY POSTULATED THAT THE HIGHER THE CRIME ARREST RATE AND THE REPORTED POLICE HOMICIDE RATE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HIGHER THE POLICE SHOOTING RATE. IT WAS ALSO HYPOTHESIZED THAT BOTH THESE RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE HIGHEST FOR SHOOTINGS INVOLVING ON-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS AND LOWEST FOR SHOOTINGS INVOLVING OFF-DUTY POLICE. THE DATA EMPLOYED WERE THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS OF ALL REPORTED SHOOTINGS. A 5-YEAR TOTAL OF 2,746 SHOOTING INCIDENTS WERE ANALYZED. ARREST AND HOMICIDE RATES AND SHOOTING RATES WERE THE VARIABLES USED. RESULTS SHOWED BOTH HYPOTHESES AS CORRECT. THE DATA ALSO REVEALED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARREST RATES AND TOTAL SHOOTING RATES WAS SIGNIFICANT AS WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOMICIDE RATES AND POLICE SHOOTINGS. THUS THERE WERE HIGH CORRELATIONS BETWEEN EXTREME POLICE-CITIZEN VIOLENCE AND INDICES OF THREATS TO POLICE AND OF GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY. POLICE VIOLENCE VARIES AS THE POLICEMAN REACTS TO THE COMMUNITY AS HE PERCEIVES IT, AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONS OF POLICE SHOOTINGS ALSO PARALLEL VARIATIONS IN THE INDICES. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT SOCIAL FORCES CONTRIBUTING DIRECTLY TO PUBLIC SAFETY FROM CRIME EFFECT POLICE SHOOTINGS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONSTRUCT. COMPARISONS OF RATIOS OF VIOLENT FELONY ARRESTS TO SHOOTINGS AMONG POLICE AGENCIES MIGHT PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF VARYING FIREARMS POLICIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES. TABLES, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)