Andrea Studebaker
November 18, 2015
ENG 1113 CRN 12896
E4FD
Police Brutality in America On April 12th, 2015, a young man named Freddie Gray, was arrested for allegedly having an illegal switchblade on his person. That same day, Gray entered a police van for transport, seemingly fine. Only to leave that same police van half an hour later, in a coma, with severe injuries to his spinal cord. Thirty minutes is all it took, for a seemingly healthy man, to end up in the back of an ambulance. He died one week later. All but one officer, the driver, were charged with crimes ranging from illegal arrest to manslaughter. The driver was charged with second degree depraved heart murder, the equivalent of second degree murder. The illegal
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The people of Baltimore lost their complacency though, and along with it their ability to rationalize, with yet another case of police brutality. While their decisions to begin setting fires, looting, and throwing bricks was not a positive one, these people were determined to be heard once and for all. Statistics from the National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project (NPMSRP), from the months of April 2009 to June 2010 showed that during this time there were 5,986 reports of misconduct. There were also 382 fatalities linked to misconduct, along with settlements and judgements linked to misconduct totaling $347,455,000. 33% of the misconduct cases went through to convictions and 64% of them received prison sentences. Yet these numbers were not enough of a shock to our city and state leaders to take action before situations, such as the riots in Baltimore or Ferguson, occurred. The warnings were there, the numbers and statistics, yet the matter was not handled in a reasonable amount of time. Leaving the public to wonder, if they were all in jeopardy. Would a simple routine check point end in violence? Fearful that any word out of their mouths, or simply the color of their skin, could bring forth such behavior. Current studies have shown that “less educated police officers tend to be the most aggressive and
When one thinks of police misconduct many not too distant stories might go through our heads. Most adults will remember how they felt when they saw the brutal beating of Rodney King on their local news station; or the outrage they experienced when they heard that the evidence in the OJ Simpson trial had been tampered with. But thanks to new guidelines, procedures and even civilian groups who now “police” the police, instances of police misconduct may soon start seeing a decline.
A great deal of society views law enforcement officers as heroic and honorable individuals, whose main purpose is to protect and serve the community. For many officers, this description is accurate, however for others; violence and brutality against innocent citizens is part of getting the job done. For years, minorities have fallen victim to police brutality based on racial profiling, stereotypes and other
A topic that is very prominent at this time in social media and mainstream media is the presence of police brutality in the United States. Two instances in the news recently are the disputes that resulted in the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown.
Here in the year 2014, racism is till very obvious to everyone’s eyes. Minorities aren’t treated well in restaurants, they are given fewer choices than white people with the same background, and they also are still the last ones to be chosen on the playground or in gym class when picking teams for dodge ball. No one is born racist. It is something that is taught through cultural transmission, just like language. Slavery was abolished in 1865 under Abraham Lincoln, which was only several generations ago, but the hatred that some older white folks have for African Americans is still unreasonably alive. How might the events that have recently occurred in Ferguson, Missouri affect how racism plays such a dominant role in today’s society involving
Peaceful protests the day before Gray’s death were just the beginning of a long string of outbreaks and violence. Community members were seen rallying behind their fallen friend as they peacefully protested outside of Western District Police Station. These protests slowly became more violent as protesters were met by officers. When on-duty officers could not hold back the rapidly growing crowd, all officers were called to meet the protesters. Officers alone could not hold back the enraged community as the National Guard was called in by the Governor of Maryland to reinforce officers. Peaceful protests turned to rage filled riots as police vehicles and officers themselves became victim of communal hatred. The night of April 27th had sent many officers to receive medical treatment as the riots poured into the business district (Timeline: Freddie Gray’s…). Small stores and even homes were ransacked and burned by rioters in the streets of Baltimore. Cleanup efforts quickly ensued in the city and riots still raged on. May 1st is when the community could finally take its first breath after a month. All six officers were charged in the case of Freddie Gray with the most severe being second degree depraved heart murder (Charges against
Police brutality is an epidemic in America that has not subsided despite numerous attempts to ensure that officers will be held accountable. Many calls for reform have been discussed, but unfortunately, nothing substantial has been done. In the first six months of 2017 alone, 492 citizens were shot and killed by police officers (Jenkins.) “These numbers show us that officer-involved shootings are constant over time,” Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina criminologist said to The Washington Post. “Some places go up, some go down, but it’s averaging out. This is our society in the 21st century,” (Jenkins.) It is profoundly difficult to say what could be done to make sure law enforcement are held properly accountable for their brutality.
Police brutality continues to be one of the most serious and contentious violations of human rights in the United States. The unreasonable amount of force used by police officers prevails because of a lack of accountability. This makes it feasible for officers who do violate human rights to get off clean and recommit the violation. A sad fact is that police and/or public officials deny time after time any claims of human rights violations, claiming it was an abnormality, when they should be taking action and holding officers responsible for their actions. (Williams 1998, 45)
Police Brutality is an ongoing problem and existent concern in the United States and should be resolved immediately. Law enforcement must function as an element that consists of organized and civilized officers. The presence of police brutality is becoming more of an issue as society grows. The problem posed by the illegal exercise of police power is an ongoing reality for individuals of a disfavored race, class, or sexual orientation. Police brutality must be stopped so that police do not forget who they are serving – not themselves, but the public. This means that even the criminals, who are a part of the public, have certain rights, particularly, civil rights. Police brutality causes a major concern in today’s society in America and
Recently Freddie Gray, a black man, became injured while in police custody and eventually died seven days later in Baltimore; so in response, thousands of citizens rioted as tensions heightened. Agitators attacked police officers and vandalized buildings, which caused officers to utilize tear gas and pepper balls to stifle the stress (“Civil Unrest”).The protests began peacefully with a march on the streets to City Hall, and then turned into barbaric riots against all forms of the law. The sudden bursts of violence appalled
In recent years police actions, especially police abuse remains one of the most serious and estranged human rights violation in the United States. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, it has now been shown that they must also keep an eye on those who are supposed to protect us. Thousands of individuals that complained about police abuse are reported each year and local authorities pay out millions of dollars to victims in damages after all the lawsuits. Police have beaten, shot at unresisting suspects; they have misused their batons, and also their electroshock weapons. Over the past decade, police officers have acted out in ways that make people wonder, are these officers of the law really doing their job? Severe beatings, unjustified shootings, and rough treatment have all contributed to the problem of police brutality in America. Police officers continue to abuse their given authority by acting in a brutal manner in order to control a detained suspect. The job of a police officer is to maintain public order, prevent, and detect crime. They are engaged in a dangerous and stressful occupation that can absolutely involve violent situations that must be controlled. In many of these confrontations with the public, it may become necessary for the police to administer force to take control of the situation. Sometimes excessive force takes the form of hand-to-hand combat with a suspect who is resisting arrest. At least once every month or two the news
Police abuse is one of the most violated human rights in the United States. Police are portrayed as heroes that stop bank robbers, stop kidnappings and catch murders, but as of recent year’s police actions have come into the public eye. While typically citizens worry about their safety from criminals, it also seems they have to keep an eye out for the people who are supposed to protect them from danger. Thousands of complaints about police brutality is reported each year, and seems to be growing more. China has a population four and a half times bigger than the United States and only twelve killings were reported by law enforcement in 2014, but in the United States ninety two times more people were killed than a country with nearly 1.4 billion people (Fairbanks). Within our police system in America, there are openings and loopholes that give liberty to police officers who either abuse their authority given to them or do not live up to ethical standards in today’s society.
Being a minority in the United States has never been easy and does not seem to be getting any better. Minorities have been exposed to violence by law enforcement for many decades. Law enforcement 's are tasked with protecting and serving its citizens, not to harass and assault them. Police brutality is a continuous problem in the United States and officers need to be accountable for their actions. This research project will examine how police brutality often leads to death because of some officers ' unnecessary physical aggression and poor judgment, some incidents leads to unjust shootings, and finally, the misconduct of police officers. By understanding how police brutality is increasing and the violence that comes with it, police officers can then receive better training and learn how to gauge certain situations to avoid the use of violence and abuse their power.
There is an ongoing conversation on what it will take to reduce police brutality in this country. There have been many suggestions by politicians on the ways that it could possibly be reduced. One of the things that is constantly brought is the possibility of police officers nationwide wearing mounted cameras on them throughout the duration of their shifts. This technology comes with both its positive and negative benefits, but it seems to be the topic most commonly talked about. I believe that this technology goes deeper than simply ensuring police officers aren’t victimizing the public. I believe that this technology carries many more benefits along with it. Upon graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice here at IUPUI I would like to
Police brutality is an ongoing problem in the United States. Law enforcement agents are there to protect the public for they have the legal right to use physical, and even deadly, force. However, many of these officers abuse of that power. In the past year, there have been more than 900 cases of police abuse. Most of the victims have been innocent, unarmed, and/or of color. Police brutality is becoming more and more of an issue as society keeps growing. This nationwide problem could be solved in many ways, but having peaceful protests and by educating our police officers about racial differences are two good possible solutions.
A common issue presented in today’s national media is police brutality. Police brutality is the use of unnecessary force on civilians by police. The concept of having police officers is to ensure safety and protection of citizens. Police should only use force necessary to accomplish their lawful purpose. The common occurrence of police brutality has sparked responses nationwide in the form of protests, riots, and movements to end the excessive and sometimes fatal force of police officers. The public rallies are also in response to lack of conviction or repercussions of many of the cops who demonstrate unjust police brutality. These incidents are also commonly associated with racial disparity. The headline news stories of the shooting and killing of unarmed African Americans, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and twelve year old Tamir Rice, all in the same year, prompted citizens nationwide that change in the law enforcement system is necessary. While a majority of police abide to their oaths and stand for justice, a noticeable amount have historically misused their power. If a community cannot trust police officers, it will be detrimental for society as a whole.