NCJ Number
87616
Editor(s)
J J Fyfe
Date Published
1982
Length
322 pages
Annotation
Criminal justice professionals address police use of deadly force policies and practices, particularly police homicide trends, legal justifications, and the relationship of race to deadly force use.
Abstract
One paper suggests that the national incidence of police deadly force is substantially underreported and that the data are not accurate enough to allow for comparison of specific cities. Another study analyzes 320 shooting incidents from 1973 and 1974, gathered from 7 police departments, to characterize shooting incidents and to compare police and civilian deaths. Two papers discuss constitutional challenges to the common-law rule permitting use of deadly force to effect the arrest of any fleeing felon. Others explore why a disproportionate number of minorities, particularly blacks, are shot by police -- some experts blame police 'labeling' of lower socioeconomic groups or minorities' higher rates of violent crime. Two authors focus specifically on police shootings of minorities in New York City and Los Angeles. The book's last section turns to internal policies on deadly force and firearms, beginning with discussions of civil liability. The effects of a restrictive deadly force policy in the New York City Police Department and problems created by off-duty officers carrying guns are discussed; recommendations for effective management of police deadly force are given. Most papers include references and study data. For a discussion of deadly force and the Constitution, see NCJ-87617.