INEQUALITY AND POLICE USE OF DEADLY FORCE - AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF A CONFLICT HYPOTHESIS

• NCJ Number: 59789
• Journal: Social Problems Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (APRIL 1979) Pages: 403-412
• Author(s): D JACOBS; D BRITT
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Study of Social Problems
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA ON THE NUMBER OF KILLINGS COMMITTED BY POLICE IN EACH STATE SHOW THAT POLICE ARE MOST LIKELY TO USE DEADLY FORCE IN STATES WITH RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATIONS, MUCH VIOLENT CRIME, AND LARGE INCOME DISPARITIES.

Abstract

CONFLICT THEORISTS ASSUME THAT FORCE OR THE THREAT OF FORCE IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT HOLDING UNEQUAL SOCIETIES TOGETHER. BECAUSE THESE THEORISTS ALSO HOLD THAT THE STATE'S MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE IS CONTROLLED BY THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM INEQUALITY, IT FOLLOWS THAT THE CONTROL AGENTS OF THE STATE SHOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO USE EXTREME FORCE IN AREAS OF PRONOUNCED ECONOMIC INEQUALITY. THIS HYPOTHESIS WAS TESTED BY USING MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS ON DATA RELEVANT TO THE NUMBER OF KILLINGS COMMITTED BY POLICE OFFICERS. IN ADDITION TO ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, THE STUDY CONSIDERED OTHER POSSIBLE PREDICTORS OF KILLING BY POLICE--RATES OF VIOLENT CRIME, PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION THAT IS BLACK, URBANIZATION, AND LOCATION IN THE SOUTH. THE RACIAL ELEMENT WAS TESTED BECAUSE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A WHITE POLICE OFFICER WOULD FEEL MORE THREATENED WHEN FACED WITH A LARGER POPULATION OF BLACK CITIZENS. THE GEOGRAPHIC FACTOR WAS CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF THE IDIOSYNCRATIC HISTORY OF LETHAL VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTH. THE COEFFICIENTS FOR INEQUALITY AND THE VIOLENCE INDEX TOGETHER WITH THE BETA WEIGHT FOR POPULATION CHANGE WERE ALL STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. THE ADDITION OF REGIONAL VARIATIONS DID NOT AFFECT THE STANDING OF THESE THREE FACTORS. THE RELATIONSHIP WAS NOT STRENGTHENED BY USING A MEASURE OF ABSOLUTE POVERTY. IT SEEMS THAT THE DISPARITY BETWEEN SOCIAL CLASSES, TOGETHER WITH THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENT CRIME IN A RAPIDLY GROWING AREA, ARE THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH KILLINGS BY POLICE. THE STUDY RESULTS ALSO SHOWED THAT AN HYPOTHESIS DERIVED FROM CONFLICT THEORY DOES PREDICT THE AMOUNT OF DEADLY FORCE EMPLOYED BY THE POLICE IN THE UNITED STATES. NOTES, REFERENCES, AND TABLES WITH STUDY DATA ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)