Police Brutality

Research Paper # 118231

African-American Studies
Criminology > Public and Crime
Ethnic Studies > Conflict

Police Brutality

Looks at police brutality, one of the most prevalent and daunting aspects of racial inequity within society.

3,045 words () | 13 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that minority groups, who are most impacted by public distrust, bear the brunt of repeated police brutality. Furthermore, of all the minority communities, the author indicates that the African-American community is most affected. Not only is this group, especially men, targeted the most by police but also police harassment and brutality occur on a regular and predictable basis. The paper concludes that acknowledgment of the problem is an essential aspect in initiating the healing process that will re-build trust between the police department and the community and thus curtail police brutality.

Table of Contents:
Police Brutality--An Introduction and Perspective
Concept and Term
A Problem and Society Effect
Race of the Community as the Explanatory Variable
Concept and Term
A Problem and Society Effect
Most Impacted Behavioral Science--the Moderating Variable
Concept and Term
Works as a Buffer

From the Paper:

"Society has become distrustful of police officers, due to high profile incidents that serve to disproportionately reflect the abusiveness of an undetermined amount, but not all policemen in society. The actual percentages and figures of police brutality, despite the impact of high profile cases, ultimately become secondary to public perceptions thereof, in addressing the problem. The real problem in this day and age is public mistrust."

Sample of Sources Used:

Akil, Bakari II. "Police Brutality, Misconduct and Race." July 22, 2002: http://www.globalblacknews.com/Police.html
Amnesty International. "Racial Profiling; California: Update on Police Brutality." Sept 1 1999:http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGAMR511501999
"Are cops wild in the streets? New study says no way!" Aug 15, 2005: http://www.policeone.com/writers/columnists/ForceScience/articles/116522/
Human Rights Watch. "Race as a Factor." http://www.hrw.org/reports98/police/uspo17.htm
The 1968 Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (The Kerner Report), (New York: Bantam Books, 1968) p. 206.