ImpactofUseofForceSP2_YasminAurigemma

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Apr 3, 2024

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The Impact of the Use of Force: Community and Demographics Yasmin N. Aurigemma Saint Leo University CRM220 – Survey of Criminal Justice CA03 Professor Wilkinson-Shields February 25, 2024

Aurigemma 2 Abstract The purpose of this scholarly paper is to understand, compare, and contrast the impacts of the use of force between victims, suspects, communities, and police officers. The United States criminal justice system allows officers the authority to implement use of force through levels to handle, maintain, and control disturbances, misconduct and protect the peace and safety of society. Within use of force, there have been cases where use of force has been excessive and harmful, resulting in fatal harm and death of victims and bystanders. Because of this, there has since been a stigmatism created to defy police officers and detest their method of controlling situations. The negativity presented towards officers can be attributed to their own views and negativity towards demographics in which high-crime rates are present. The use of force subsequently can negatively impact victims, suspects, communities, and police officers altogether. The Impact of the Use of Force: Community and Demographics In the United States criminal justice system, the concept of “the use of force” is categorized as a police officer initiating power - or force - to arrest and control disturbances (Cole et al., 2018). Presented in the use of force, there is also the notion and belief (of some) that police abuse their ability to use force, profiling it as “excessive,” dangerous, and brutal. The impact of the use of force between the victim(s), suspects, communities, and officers themselves revolve around two concepts: (1.) The public views police use of force instantaneously as negative, and (2.) Those who are subjected to police use of force in harmful ways generally are of the same demographic(s).

Aurigemma 3 When cases of police use of force in negative and harmful ways come out to the public, there is the opportunity that the surrounding communities and bystanders may then police in a negative light. When thinking about the use of force being projected by police themselves, the thought is often tied to police brutality, harmful conduct, and even police killings in cases such as that of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (Boxer et al., 2021). Because of this connection when people think about police using their authority in force, police are often thought of as a negative aspect in criminal justice systems. In cases where suspects and/or victims of police use of force are harmed, even without the intention of injury, bystanders and communities can perceive the event as intentional (Boxer et al., 2021). 30.2 million Americans experienced police contact in 2015 and 3.3% of those Americans that the police used force during their encounter; Of that 3.3%, 48% perceived the use of force as “excessive” (Boxer et at., 2021). In cases where police use force and it is perceived as excessive and potentially harmful, it creates a stigma that most police encounters where use of force is relevant will turn out negatively under the impression that officers will intentionally harm the other person. This strikes fear in communities, especially those who have relatively high crime rates. In addition, when police harm and possibly kill a suspect/victim while trying to make an arrest, there is the possibility to produce public disorder, outrage, and hostility towards the police [officer] (Cole et al., 2018). When there is public disorder and the possibility of harm and uncertainty of safety, it threatens a person’s sense of public safety (Stansfield 2022). Policing in high-crime areas grants there to be more opportunities for police use of force, which can leave a community feeling a sense of unrest. Additionally, impacts of use of force on a community, policing in high-crime neighborhoods affects the health of communities (Stansfield 2022). For example, if there is

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Aurigemma 4 police that shot a suspect in a community where there are high rates of crime, there is the possibility that the exposure to the killing can lower the health of adolescents (Stansfield 2022); The relationship between the killing and community can leave witnesses, those exposed to it, and even the hurt victim(s) themselves with a sense of emotional distraught, potentially staying with them their entire life. This even further creates the stigma of police use of force as negative, therefore creating more hostility and unrest from citizens to law enforcement. Connecting police use of force in communities to demographics of victims and suspects, even with areas of high-crime, demographics are significant in police use of force cases; Intentionally or not, police use of force in harmful scenarios are linked to specific demographics of victims and suspects. Of these demographics, African Americans are subjected to use of force the most. Police shootings in recent years have been linked to the victims being African Americans (Cole et al., 2018), and the misconduct of use of force in an inappropriate manner furthermore affect those of color and of minority groups (Boxer et al., 2021). Comparatively to associating police use of force in communities, the use of force on specific demographics has contributed to the idea of stigmatism of law enforcement. However, there is also a difference in which side is subject to that stigmatism. For police officers who hold biased beliefs towards a specifical race or ethnicity, can be biased and use their beliefs when making decisions in use of force cases. Biased beliefs can consist of negative stereotypes towards one race/ethnicity, general personality traits, stereotypes between crime and race, and associations between people of color and weapons (Boxer et al., 2021). This shifts the stigmatism from being on the police officers themselves onto the victims/suspects. Furthermore, the stereotypes of demographics in cases of use of force negatively affect both sides. For law enforcement, those who are biased towards

Aurigemma 5 others may act upon that bias and out of fear of them, intend to harm the other. Because of this, victims and suspects in return fear police officers and their authority to enact use of force. The use of force in the presence of bias creates stigmatism throughout the entirety of society. Not only does stigmatism exist and impact victims, but it also impacts suspects, communities, and police officers themselves. Through victims and suspects, the use of force in negative ways can present harm towards them and this is especially present for those of different racial and ethnic groups. Following the chain, the impact of harm on victims and suspects further impacts their communities and neighborhoods surrounding them. The negative implementation of use of force can cause unrest, outrage, fear, and broken trust for law enforcement in their community. Because of the state of unrest and outrage, there also is the possibility of hostility and violence towards law enforcement and police who are trying to help communities. This threatens the safety of individuals in the community and police officers themselves. The impact of use of force shown in the light of negativity, effects all aspects of society, which is then represented and viewed as excessive and harmful.

Aurigemma 6 References Boxer, P., Brunson, R. K., Gaylord-Harden, N., et al. (2021). Addressing the Inappropriate Use of Force by Police in the United States and Beyond: A Behavioral and Social Science Perspective. Aggressive Behavior , Pages 502-512. saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=i3h&AN=151739810&site=ehost-live&scope=site . Stansfield, R., (2022). Police Community Relations, Excessive Force, and Community Stress: Evidence From a Community Survey . Psychology of Violence , Pages 201-210. saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2022-82060-002&site=ehost-live&scope=site . Cole, G. F., Smith, C. E., Dejong, C. (2018). The American System of Criminal Justice (16 th Edition). Cengage Learning, 2018.

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