Use of Deadly Force by Police

Paper Summary:

The paper explores the view that extreme force by police has become necessary in many cases and is therefore justified in the light of a changing threat to public safety and security. On the other hand, the paper also discusses the opinion that lethal force can also be abused and can therefore transgress human rights and ethical boundaries that are acceptable to society. The paper provides an extensive literature review on lethal force and its justification and comes to the conclusion that while laws, policies, and codes of ethical behavior are important in maintaining a balance use of force in a society, these cannot cover or deal with every situation. The paper also notes that unless the use of lethal force is justified and unless this justification is seen to be ethically viable and acceptable to the society and to human rights organizations, society will not function in a balanced and democratic manner.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction and general overview of the issues
Rationale and central thesis
Understanding the problematics of legal and moral justification
Definitions of lethal or deadly force
Circumstances and the justification of extreme force
Ethical justification and the human rights
Conclusion: summation and analysis

From the Paper:

"The issue of moral and ethical justification for the use of deadly force by the police has created a wide-ranging and intense debate over many disciplines. The central problematic in this debate lies in an ambiguity that has ethical and moral dimensions. In term of the contract that exists between the state, police force and society, the police are the guardians of moral and ethical standards pertaining to peace and order in the society. When lethal force is used in the carrying out of police duty, this brings this contract into contention. This in turn posits an ethical dilemma. In using such deadly force, the police are often perceived as transgressing certain moral and ethical parameters. The justification for these actions therefore becomes a crucial factor in the maintenance of the positive relationship between the police and society."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adams K. et al. ( 1999) Use of Force By Police: Overview of National and Local Data. National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/176330.txt
• ADVANCED TOPICS IN POLICE ETHICS. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3300/3300lect04a.htm
• Amnesty International Condemns Lethal Force by Police in Kenya; Death Toll in Protests Rises to 12. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20080118002&lan g=e
• Bandura, A. (1999). Moral Disengagement in the Perpetration of Inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3(3), 193-209. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=76947979
• Banton, Michael (1964) The Policeman in the Community. London: Tavistock

More papers on Use of Deadly Force by Police:

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