• Police Brutality Research Topics Topics: 93
  • Criminal Procedure Research Topics Topics: 55
  • Fourth Amendment Research Topics Topics: 49
  • Contract Law Research Topics Topics: 113
  • Criminal Justice Paper Topics Topics: 218
  • Crime Investigation Topics Topics: 131
  • Death Penalty Essay Topics Topics: 142
  • Capital Punishment Essay Topics Topics: 65
  • Federalism Essay Topics Topics: 74
  • Intellectual Property Topics Topics: 107
  • International Relations Topics Topics: 176
  • Supreme Court Paper Topics Topics: 87
  • Juvenile Delinquency Research Topics Topics: 133
  • International Organizations Essay Topics Topics: 97
  • Criminal Behavior Essay Topics Topics: 71

243 Police Research Topics + Examples

If you’re a criminal justice student, you might want to talk about or write a paper on the work of police officers and the hot issues in policing. Luckily, StudyCorgi has compiled an extensive list of police topics for you! On this page, you’ll find law enforcement essay topics, as well as questions and ideas for presentations, research papers, debates, and many more! Outstanding police essay examples are also waiting for you below!

🏆 Best Police Topics to Write About

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  • Why I Want to Be a Police Officer
  • What Is the Police Authority?
  • Police Recruitment and Training
  • Conflict and Power: Police and Community Collaboration
  • Enhancing Police Training Program Proposal
  • A Police Officer’s Education and Duties
  • Laptop Computers in Police Cars: Benefits & Drawbacks
  • Police Professionalism and Ethics of Policing Accountability must persist given the discriminatory patterns among officers, who should be allowed room to improve as long as their good faith can be observed.
  • Cultural Influences on Police Decision-Making The paper identifies cultural influences on police decision-making. There has been a deterioration in trust between the police and some social groups.
  • Essay on Police Brutality in the United States Police officers are allowed to use “non-negotiable coercive force” to maintain public order and control the behavior of citizens.
  • Police Officers Treatment Towards Civilians Based on Social Class Several investigations proved the various policemen’s performances towards civilians of a different social class.
  • Organization Effectiveness of a Police Department The organization is a core and framework of effective performance. The organization allows the police department to ensure effective management and organization of human resources.
  • Police Patrol Effectiveness Research Assessment The paper recaps debates that have arisen on the police patrol effectiveness in crime prevention, by investigating research on the said issue.
  • The Phenomenon of “Defunding the Police” The work Defunding the Police aims to explore the meaning of “defunding the police” and arguments and counterarguments surrounding this initiative.
  • Public Role and Control of Police Citizens of democratic states have a right to exert control over the police. This claim is based on the fact that police are a part of the government.
  • Police Use-of-Force in Graham v. Connor & Tennessee v. Garner Cases A state police officer shot Garner to death as he fled the crime scene. Even though Garner was unarmed, the police officer felt he had the right to shoot him to prevent his escape.
  • Sociological Positivism Theory in Police Practice Sociological positivism is primarily concerned with how specific social conditions in a person’s experience might contribute to an increased proclivity for crime.
  • Police Accountability and Reform The paper states that the police are experiencing a crisis that has made them under scrutiny and pressure from the public to make reforms.
  • Improving Police Morale and Community Communication This paper’s purpose is to examine the police department on street patrol, and also to reveal the issue of mass dismissal of police officers.
  • Policing From Above: Drone Use by the Police Drones are among the few technologies that law enforcement agencies could use to alleviate many of the challenges they face in their ordinary duties.
  • Forensic Psychology for Police Recruitment and Screening The quest for competitive and effective police officers led to the introduction of some measures to help in the recruitment of individuals.
  • Motivating Police Officers to Serve and Protect The proposal focuses on the idea that Heritage PD could significantly benefit from the use of motivating factors when approaching police officer productivity.
  • “Police Solve Just 2% of All Major Crimes” by S. Baughman Baughman’s article is about the insufficiency of the work that the police do to solve severe crimes since only 2% of cases result in a conviction.
  • Police Corruption: Understanding and Preventing Police corruption remains one of the leading challenges, affecting law enforcement agencies in the United States and around the world.
  • Police Work’ Concepts and Operationalization This document presents the concepts and practical application of a study conducted to identify factors that affect the results of police work in the community.
  • Police Officers’ Wellness and Mental Health An increasing number of police officers are facing depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and even suicide.
  • Police Officers: Qualifications and Responsibilities The police are in charge of upholding law and order, protecting the public, and stopping, spotting and looking into illegal activity, making it a dynamic occupation.
  • Police Standards Should Be Modified There is a certain need for standards modification in the police that should be performed immediately. A particular amount of inequality exists in the departments of the police.
  • How Police Supervisory Styles Influence Patrol Officer Behavior The field supervisor, also identified as the patrol sergeant, directly oversees officers’ conduct, performance, appearance, and tactical operations assigned under their command.
  • Report for the Chief of Police The current report contains the definition and description of the Uniform Crime Report, the data-gathering strategy used for the analysis and its rationale, and crime trends.
  • “The Black Officer Who Detained George Floyd Had Pledged To Fix the Police”: A Story of Alex Kueng “The Black Officer Who Detained George Floyd Had Pledged to Fix the Police” article allows concluding that the police system cannot be reformed from within.
  • Police Civil Liability in the Light of Monroe v. Pape People want to know that in trouble, such as, for instance, a robbery or car theft, police will come to their aid and guarantee protection.
  • “How to Fix America’s Police” by Stoughton The authors of the article suggest that the US police’s current situation could be fixed in two ways: either through state intervention or through local one.
  • Textual Analysis of the Song “Police” by Suprême Ntm The purpose of this paper is to analyze the song “Police” written and performed by a French hip-hop band Suprême NTM. It is dedicated to the problem of police brutality, racism.
  • Chesterfield County Police Department: Hiring Process This paper will explore the applicable requirements of the Chesterfield County Police Department for the position of an entry-level law enforcement officer.
  • Evaluating Budget Documents of Police Department The paper will analyze the budget which was presented by the police department indicating both the estimates and the adjusted figures.
  • Age Influence on the Support for Police Action This paper addresses to what extent age influences the support for police action. The hypothesis is that old aged people are in support of the idea of police action.
  • Driving and Police Stop in Dramatic Interpretation The experience of a police traffic stop can be analyzed as dramatic interaction, wherein the driver and passengers present a play to the officer.
  • Dealing with Stress in Police Training Police officers are trained to handle stressful situations in different ways, and the approach used in their training has been a topic of debate in the recent past.
  • Police Brutality in the United States The existence of systemic racial bias in law enforcement leads to unequal treatment and a higher likelihood of police brutality when dealing with people of color.
  • Police Misconduct Against the Black Community Police misconduct has escalated against the Black community and other ethnic groups. Mistreatment by police officers is determined by two significant factors: race and sex.
  • Servant Leadership in a Police Organization The paper studies servant leadership, explicitly comparing and contrasting its traits with the major traits of a leader as outlined in the Good-to-Great book series.
  • The Police in the Modern World The police in the modern world is a body endowed with certain powers and responsibilities. Its mission is to enforce the law, prevent crime, and ensure public safety.
  • Collaborative Organizational Changes in Police The paper states that both Future Search and Open Space techniques are applicable and beneficial in military organizations such as the police.
  • Police Sexual Harassment Suit This paper analyzes the case of the ex-Round Lake Height’s policeman, Hossein Isbitan, who filed a Lawsuit against his boss despite other problem-solving measures at his workplace.
  • Police Officer Characteristics and Evaluation Most people would prefer their police officers to be capable of making decisions and taking action, especially in tense situations where swift choices are necessary.
  • Interview With Chief of Police Mr. William Evans I had a rare chance of interviewing the Chief of Police for Hinds Community College Mr. William Evans in his office on Wednesday 19 November, 2014 at 5 p.m.
  • Police Response to High Speed/Hot Pursuits Police officers have the responsibility of defending the lives of citizens by maintaining law and order, however, in attempts to avoid being arrested.
  • Police Corruption in California The analysis of the information proves that police corruption in California depends on the work and social environment of police officers.
  • The Issue of Police Injustice in the United States In March 2020, a tragic event led to the death of a black emergency medical technician, B. Taylor. According to descriptions, police were investigating a drug case and suspected her.
  • Community Policing Assignment: A History of Police Work in the Criminal Justice System Community policing led to the introduction of a system where the police officers and members of the community get a closer relationship.
  • America as a Superpower and the World’s Police The international policing role and strategy of the United States during the Cold War has become even more necessary in this period of terrorism and instability.
  • Police Liability Issue and Consequences of Illegal Actions The issue of the liability of police officers and their degree of responsibility for certain actions is the topic that is discussed in the media periodically and causes a great public response.
  • Police Detective Career: Information and Issues The police detective career is very dynamic and demanding, especially the sections of criminal investigations such as homicide and theft.
  • Mental Health and Well-Being of Canadian Police Officers The paper presents the problem of mental health in Canadian police officers. Even before the pandemic, stress and anxiety were common among law enforcement officers.
  • Community Policing: Police Officers’ Role Orientations Community policing has shown to have multiple benefits for both local citizens and law enforcement in the activities to both prevent or respond to potential threats or disruptions.
  • The Use of Force in Police: Theoretical Analysis This discussion evaluates force standards and police leadership responsibilities through the prism of deindividuation and contagion.
  • An Inside View of Police Officers’ Experience with Domestic Violence “An Inside View of Police Officers’ Experience with Domestic Violence” is an article authored by Horwitz et al., published in 2011.
  • The Police Sexual Harassment: Case Study This paper reviews a case involving sexual assault by a police officer with the view to discussing its cause, results, and what could have been done to prevent the wrongdoing.
  • Police Service Transformation: Research Onion The research onion depicts the research strategies and approaches that will be employed in this study. They are discussed in more detail in this paper.
  • Western Australia Police Communications Centre’s Change The WA Police Communications Centre is a vital organ of the regions police force. This essay seeks to analyze the challenges that affect the centre.
  • The Wokefield Police Department’s Work in Memphis The Wokefield police department has a law enforcement mandate in Memphis. The region has experienced an upsurge in juvenile offenders, especially in the carjacking.
  • Observation of Protest Against Police Brutality The event was a protest against police brutality in downtown City Hall. The event’s focal point was the ongoing issue of police brutality against Black people in the country.
  • The Houston Police Department’s Services and Challenges The Houston Police Department offers critical services in Texas and assures the people of peace and stability. The police department, however, faces several challenges.
  • A Police Failure in the Uvalde Mass Shooting The mass shooting in Uvalde is a prime example of how neglect of proper policing guidelines and management strategies can cause dire results for the local community.
  • The Police Department’s Ethical Challenges Policemen should not allow immoral behavior to jeopardize their responsibilities. Officers must safeguard their relationships with the local people who depend on them.
  • Police Brutality and Racial Bias Considering the long history of slavery, several generations have inherited racial prejudice towards Afro-American people, who have become the subject of abuse in many fields.
  • Police Management in Killeen, Texas Killeen police station workforce is made up of three different generations, including millennials, boomers, and generation X.
  • Effect of Brooklyn Nine-Nine Show on Perception of Police By connecting eight seasons to various crimes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine positions the police station as an inclusive workplace that saves people’s lives and promotes dedicated workers.
  • Police Brutality During COVID-19 Pandemic In the United States, there has been a perceived and observed police injustice towards minority communities, especially Blacks.
  • Interactions of Local Police and Homeland Security Officials The purpose of this paper is to compare the interactions of the two agencies in lawkeeping and order by examining their structural responsibilities as captured in the state laws.
  • The Six Virtual Police Department The six departmental units include the Chief of Police, Special Operations Division, Patrols, Investigations Division, Civilian Unit, and Support Service Division.
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officers The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the national police force of Canada. They are responsible for policing in provinces, local communities, municipalities, and airports.
  • The Dallas Police Department Police Academy and Training Curriculum The paper states that the future of diversity hiring in law enforcement will be driven strongly by organizational structure and leadership going forward.
  • Aspects of Police Culture and Diversity This paper discusses the topic of police culture and diversity. In the American law enforcement system, some police departments do not appreciate diversity.
  • The Secret Police in East Germany The Secret Police in East Germany, also known as the Stasi, was an organization established by military forces and ministers to exercise total control over the population.
  • The Los Angeles Police Department’s Overview The Los Angeles Police Department is headed by the board of police commissioners, which comprises a five-member team appointed to oversee the department’s operation.
  • Police Misconduct: New Rochelle Police Officer Case Study Officer Michael Vaccaro was driven by the desire to punish the criminal Malik Fogg; however, he used too much force.
  • Police Officers’ Excessive Use of Force Although law enforcement officers are allowed to use lethal force, they should exercise that authority only when the suspect possess threat of harming others physically.
  • Discussion Misuse of Lies in the Police The paper discusses situations where police officers may misuse lying when dealing with mentally ill people or people in crisis.
  • The San Diego Police Department’s History and Work This work describes the work of the San Diego Police Department, its brief history, and statistics about working there.
  • The Impact of Technology on the Police Patrol The use of complex technological systems by police officers to ensure the safety of citizens is a vital step in the development of the infrastructure of security and public order.
  • Restructuring of Los Angeles Police Department Fiscal Budget The foundation of the paper is a breakdown of the Los Angeles Police Department budget, a proposal to reduce the budget and its effects.
  • The Legality of the Scope of a Police Search The paper discusses the two court cases which demonstrate that the legality of the scope of a police search is a controversial legal question.
  • Police Killing Black People in a Pandemic Police violence as a network of brutal measures is sponsored by the government that gives the police officers permission to treat black people with disdain.
  • The History of Relationships Between Police and African Americans The paper describes the necessity to spread the knowledge of racism’s history and discuss it to ensure the next generations’ tolerance.
  • Police Officer With a Juvenile Police officers faced with a juvenile under arrest makes their decisions based on the balance of legal and situational factors relevant to the case.
  • Researching and Analysis of Police Abuse The analysis of high-profile cases of police abuse allows assuming that there would not have been fatal outcomes if the officers had respected the basic rights of their victims.
  • Police Misconduct in Criminal Justice Police misconduct is one of the issues involved in criminal justice, and there are various aspects and events entailing unconstitutional practices in law enforcement.
  • The Influence of Police Bias on Disparity in Juvenile Crime: Methodology The issue of racial disparity in the criminal justice system remains a topical one. 64% of the charged youth are people of color.
  • Benefits and Challenges of Using Drones for the Police Drones are becoming a state-of-the-art trend in policing; however, their implementation may face some difficulties regarding privacy and information security.
  • Internal Problems of Mississippiville’s Police Chief Hiring Process Mississippiville is in a difficult situation, including a tense social environment, in part caused by the ineffective management of the previous chief of police.
  • The Civil Rights Movement: Minorities vs. Police An opposition between minorities and police appears to be a problem that started during the Civil Rights Movement and continues to modern days.
  • Race and Police Brutality in American History Racism and police violence since the time of colonization has had intense effects on Black and Indigenous communities.
  • Factors That Justify the Use of Deadly Force by Police Police shootings and killings of unarmed civilians arguably qualify as violations of the use-of-force standards that warrant the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.
  • Police Use of Force and Its Limits The paper aims to define what it means to be a police officer, discuss the legal use of nondeadly and deadly force, and determine the limits placed on police power.
  • Police Brutality: The Killing of Daunte Wright Police brutality is defined as the use of unjustified or excessive force by the police, usually against citizens. It refers to the violation of human rights by the police.
  • US Police Brutality and Human Resources Connection Police brutality is one of the most pressing crisis problems in the United States, it requires additional research and immediate solutions.
  • Police Discretion: Criminal Justice While in the academy and for their period of training, police are particularly skilled on how to handle various situations that they will come across.
  • Leadership in the Los Angeles Police Department LAPD continues to develop and implement new and innovative programs in which its officers are trained to become good leaders.
  • Discussion of Police Misconduct The paper discusses criminal justice system has developed various approaches that guarantee that police can be held accountable for their misconduct.
  • Police Brutality on African Americans Police brutality against African Americans has been on the rise even after several constitutional and legal reforms made by the country to control it.
  • Police Brutality Toward Black Community The black community needs help since they suffer due to police brutality, receive various kinds of injuries, and experience traumas.
  • Analysis of Decision-Making Processes in Boston Police Department The paper covers the role of police in homeland and application of these systems to the Boston Police Department.
  • “Learn About Being a Police Officer” by Kane Being a police officer is one of the most challenging professions because it requires dedication, determination, and sacrifice.
  • The Use of Wiretapping in Police Technology The report discusses Chapter 14 of the book “Police Technology” by Raymond E. Foster. Dr. Foster has written extensively on technical tools and gadgets for law enforcement.
  • The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department: Most Pressing Issues This report outlines the main problematic issue with the functioning of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.
  • Police Reforms Implementation: The Los Angeles Police Department 83% of the LA residents vouching for the good job of the police especially because the LAPD has desisted from using serious force since 2004.
  • Ending Racial Bias and Bureaucracy Within Police Police officials may engage in bureaucratic or administrative corruption for private gain, which facilitates distrust in the efforts of law enforcement.
  • Profiling Procedures in the Los Angeles Police Department The law enforcers and most commonly the police, have profiling procedures that separate certain groups of people from the majority.
  • Police Force Diversifying Strategies The presence of women officers and officers of color may act as a complementary stimulus, as they have an approach that could be more relatable for future personnel.
  • Human Sex Trafficking and Police Technology: An Issue of the Past or Present? The paper provides an introduction that describes human sex trafficking before taking a specific approach of understanding the vice in Houston, Texas.
  • Police Brutality Against African Americans in America The purpose of this article is to describe the different approaches to researching the problem of police brutality against African Americans.
  • Inequalities and Police Brutality Against the Black This paper aims to research racial inequality and hostile police attitudes towards the black population in the United States.
  • The Significance of Police Discretion to the Criminal Justice System This paper is an investigation into the meaning of police discretion. It highlights the benefits of police discretion to the role of the police department.
  • Organizational Change in Police Departments: A Theory-Based Analysis When examining the case of implementing Compstat systems in police districts the first to consider is the positive appeals of such as system.
  • Racist Actions of the American Police Force in “The Black and the Blue” by Matthew Horace In the book “The Black and the Blue,” Matthew Horace gives testimony from behind the blue wall of secrecy and paints a society where police molest citizens.
  • Police Brutality and Impunity for Police Violence The overall purpose of this paper is to explore the topic of police brutality and police impunity as it is discussed in modern studies.
  • Police Brutality Against African Americans and Media Portrayal Police brutality toward the African-American population of the United States is an issue that has received nationwide publicity in recent years.
  • Investigation of the Chicago Police Department This paper will analyze some of the critical issues found in the investigation of the Chicago police department by the United States Department of Justice.
  • Police Violence Against African Americans in the USA The statistic shows that the violence from law enforcement officials causes thousands of deaths of black men in the USA.
  • How the Police Use Facial Recognition? Some law enforcement officers, especially in Florida, do not trust the application of technique as a warrant of arrest.
  • Rodney King’s Police Brutality Case: What Went Wrong Rodney’s case remains a historic example of police brutality. The interplay of several factors might have led to the acquittals of the officers in the first trial.
  • Metropolitan Police Service: Identity Management Solution Within the context of Metropolitan Police Service case study, the research underlines the need for such institution to ensure production of a viable management system.
  • Role of Police Agencies in Law Enforcement The police have hardly had any authority to control the most of the white color crimes. In addition, lack of expertise among the police also contributed to this problem.
  • Beyond “Police Brutality”: Racist State Violence and the University of California – Article Review The article highlights the issues with police attitudes toward the application of seemingly extreme measures to non-violent perpetrators.
  • Police Misconduct and the Misuse of Force Police misconduct is a vital concern as it affects the functioning of society and might cause much harm to individuals.
  • About Police Chaplaincy Program The article argues for launching a police chaplain program to connect the community with the police and provide survivors with the emotional and social support they need.
  • Health Safety in the Police Department It is especially important to provide a healthy working environment for workers of a police department, as they need to continue their service even at the time of a health crisis.
  • American Society Police Brutality Causes and Effects Police brutality in America is visible and accompanied by racial discrimination and creates negative consequences for society because it imposes trust issues.
  • Police Brutality: The Rodney King Case The case of Rodney King is a demonstration of police brutality in the United States. This paper will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the incident, explaining it in detail.
  • Sexual Assault Female Victims Avoid Reporting to Police Among the most under-reported crimes in the United States, one of the leading roles is occupied by sexual assault. Sixty-five percent of female victims avoid reporting to police.
  • Professional Ethics: Police Department The science of ethics attempts to give humanity the answers to the existential question of what is moral and what is not.
  • National Association of Police Organizations This paper focuses on the performance of the National Association of Police Organizations, including its purposes and contribution to the United States’ law enforcement community.
  • Forensic Psychology in the Police Subspecialty Forensic psychological officers have crucial roles in the running of the police departments. This is because law enforcement chores are entitled to many challenges.
  • All Police Officers Should Wear a Body Camera This paper suggests that the use of body cameras positively contributes to the reinforcement of procedural justice, as the prevention of unethical behavior and police brutality.
  • Procedural Justice in Contacts with The Police Analysis The paper examines the relational model of authority that indicates the procedural justice role in the public evaluation of and support for the police.
  • Testing Food Service Employees: Policy Assessment Mary Mallon, or Typhoid Mary as she was called, worked as a cook and was reputed to have caused infections of Typhoid fever in 47 people and caused the death of 3.
  • How Does ‘Police Culture’ Influence Police Practice? Police culture is influenced by a number of social and political factors which determine its main functions and internal structure.
  • Police Supervisor’s Dilemma: Control and Motivation The level of control needed in a police institution is related to the capability of officers to construct an inspiring environment.
  • Dismal City Police Department: “Do More With Less” The approach of community policing as well as the strategies used and its implementation vary widely depending on the requirements and the reactions of communities.
  • UK Police Are Changing Their Attitude to Racial Issues The increased number of black and Asian police officers influenced positively the way suspects from minority ethnic groups were handled
  • Police Brutality: Analysis of the Problem Police brutality is directed towards racial minorities and poor immigrants who cannot protect their rights in the courtroom and have no money to file a law case against officers.
  • Criminal Justice Ethics: Police Corruption & Drug Sales The growth of police corruption instances involving drug sales is relatively easy to explain. The financial rewards offered by the sales of illegal drugs are enormous.
  • Police or Custodial Brutality in the United States The aspect of police or custodial brutality is the subject matter of the study. This has become a serious problem in the administration of law, order, and human justice in the USA.
  • US Police Challenges Today: Police Discretion Police discretion is essential to the success of an officer and the public. Discretion means judgment, and for law officers, this can be the difference between life and death.
  • Assessing Role of Technology in Police Crime Mapping The role of technology in police operations has become pivotal because it aids our law enforcement agencies to do their tasks easier and less time-consuming.
  • Mentoring Programs in Police Departments The given proposal revolves around a one-on-one mentoring program that can be used by police departments to improve officers’ competence.
  • Police Brutality and Mental Health of African Americas The authors hypothesize that the effect of experiencing blackness has a twofold impact on the young African Americans’ mental health
  • Courtelaney Pass Police Department: Potential Problem Solutions There are four essential problems in the Courtelaney Pass police department: racial tensions, questionable investigative and enforcement practices, poor community reporting, and the lack of diversity.
  • The Report on the Courtelaney Pass Police Department The situational report on the Courtelaney Pass police department presents a number of important issues that should be addressed by the police administration.
  • Addressing the Gulf Coast Police Department Understaffing Despite the best efforts of recruiters, police departments all over the US are understaffed. The present paper analyzes the reasons for GCPD’s problems and offers measures to address these issues.
  • Police Attitudes and Professionalism: Interview The interviewee chosen for this assignment is a 34-year old white married male, currently working as a full-time police officer in the Miami Police Department.
  • New Orleans Police Department’s Ethics and Leadership Police officers or civil servants who fail to meet the prescribed norms of behavior or commit serious indictable offenses can be punished if no other people are involved.
  • Local Police Response to Terrorism The quality of the work carried out by the police to prevent terrorist acts determines the safety of the population.
  • Police Work: Public Expectations and Myths The work of the police is surrounded by various myths developed through TV and literature that picture it differently from real activities.
  • Are African Americans More Harassed by Police? The paper explores the hypothesis that members of the African American community are more likely to be harassed by the police than members of other ethnic groups.
  • Undercover Police Investigations in Drug-Related Crimes Undercover activities have traditionally been used to target crimes involving corruption, drugs, pornography, and prostitution.
  • Dallas Tragic Events: The Shooting of Police Officers by a Perpetrator The following paper is an attempt to determine the reasons behind the dramatic events that occurred in Dallas, identify the gaps in security and emergency response strategies.
  • Police Misconduct and Its Affecting Factors Police discretion is a necessary element of the policing activity. Many situations which officers encounter on a daily basis require judgment and appropriate decision-making.
  • Police Administrators and Their Ethical Responsibility
  • Police Brutality Increasing: Support for Black Males
  • Police Injustice Towards African-Americans
  • Police Unions’ Development in the US
  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sexual Harassment Class Action
  • Police Officer Murder, Trial and Punishment
  • Myths of Policing: Police Work’ Expectation
  • Police’s Brutality Towards African American Males
  • Chesterfield County Police Department Structure
  • Racial Profiling: Trust, Ethics, Police Legitimacy
  • Police Brutality Toward African-American Males
  • Criminal Profiling and Police Corruption
  • Liability Issues for Police Departments
  • Police Administration: Structures, Processes and Behavior
  • Police Reform in Florida
  • Police Shooting of Richard Cabot in Pittsburgh
  • Police Violence and Subterfuge Cases
  • Police Brutality: Reasons and Countermeasures
  • Cases of Police Brutality: Group Reflections and Insights
  • Police Brutality and Racial Profiling: Addressing the Crisis
  • Are Illegal Police Quotas Still Affecting American Citizens?
  • What Is the Name of American Police?
  • What Are the Four Types of Police System?
  • Are Women More Effective Police Officers?
  • What Are Young Adults’ Perception of Police?
  • What Are Some Nicknames for the Police?
  • Which Country Has the Best Police System?
  • Which Country Has the Largest Police Force in the World?
  • When Did Police Brutality Start?
  • Can the Police Reduce Crime?
  • Are Police Allowed to Punch You in the UK?
  • Which Countries Have Police Brutality?
  • What Causes Police Corruption?
  • What Is Excessive Force by Police?
  • Which Indian State Has Most Powerful Police?
  • What Is the Highest-Paid Job in the Police?
  • How Does the Los Angeles Police Department Represent the City?
  • How Can We Overcome Police Brutality?
  • What Does Three Stars on a Police Uniform Mean?
  • Should Police Officers Wear Cameras?
  • Should the Police Have More Power?
  • Do Police Officers Salute Military?
  • Why Were the Police Unable to Catch Jack the Ripper?
  • Which Country Has Private Police?
  • How Many Police Are There in the UK?
  • Are Body Cameras Fighting Police Misconduct?
  • When Does Police Discretion Cross Boundaries?
  • What Is the Issue of Police Brutality?
  • How Does Police Brutality Violate Civil Rights?
  • What Human Rights Are Being Violated by Police?
  • Police use of force: trends, policies, and effects on public trust.
  • How do police-worn body cameras affect officer accountability and transparency?
  • Challenges and benefits of technology use in modern police.
  • De-escalation techniques in police and their effects on reducing violent encounters.
  • How does law enforcement address human trafficking?
  • Police corruption and misconduct: causes, consequences, and prevention.
  • Law enforcement challenges in investigating digital offenses.
  • The effects of the militarization of police on civil liberties.
  • The impact between the use of body-worn cameras and police use of force.
  • The influence of implicit bias on police decision-making.
  • Defunding the police: should funds be reallocated from law enforcement to social services?
  • Are “stop-and-frisk” police practices constitutional?
  • Facial recognition technology use by police: balancing public safety and privacy.
  • Should no-knock warrants be banned?
  • Do police unions promote the abuse of power?
  • Is it possible to escape racial bias in predictive policing algorithms?
  • The school-to-prison pipeline: do police officers belong in schools?
  • Should drug testing for police officers be mandatory?
  • Should the use of chokeholds and neck restraints in law enforcement be banned?
  • Is anti-bias training for police officers effective in reducing violent police conduct?

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StudyCorgi . "243 Police Research Topics + Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/police-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "243 Police Research Topics + Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/police-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Police were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

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122 Police Brutality Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Police brutality is a serious issue that has been a topic of discussion and debate for many years. It refers to the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials against civilians, resulting in injury or death. This issue has sparked outrage and protests across the country, as people demand justice and accountability for those responsible.

If you are tasked with writing an essay on police brutality, it is important to choose a topic that is both relevant and engaging. To help you get started, here are 122 police brutality essay topic ideas and examples to consider:

  • The history of police brutality in the United States
  • The impact of police brutality on communities of color
  • The role of race in police brutality cases
  • The militarization of police forces
  • The use of body cameras to prevent police brutality
  • The role of social media in exposing police brutality
  • The psychological effects of police brutality on victims
  • The legal implications of police brutality cases
  • The role of police unions in protecting officers accused of brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on trust in law enforcement
  • The use of excessive force in policing protests
  • The role of systemic racism in police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on mental health
  • The role of implicit bias in police interactions
  • The impact of police brutality on community-police relations
  • The role of technology in documenting police brutality incidents
  • The impact of police brutality on victims' families
  • The role of police training in preventing brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on trust in the criminal justice system
  • The use of force continuum in policing
  • The impact of police brutality on police officers' mental health
  • The role of political rhetoric in shaping attitudes towards police brutality
  • The impact of police unions on accountability for police brutality
  • The use of civil rights laws to address police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the public perception of law enforcement
  • The role of community policing in preventing police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on minority communities
  • The role of federal oversight in addressing police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the legitimacy of law enforcement
  • The role of the media in shaping public perceptions of police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the mental health of officers
  • The role of police culture in perpetuating brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the criminal justice system
  • The role of civilian oversight boards in addressing police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the use of force policies
  • The role of community activism in addressing police brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the trust between police and communities
  • The role of police accountability in preventing brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on the relationship between law enforcement and the public
  • The role of police leadership in addressing brutality
  • The impact of police brutality on officer training
  • The role of legal reforms in addressing police brutality
  • The role of community engagement in preventing police brutality
  • The role of police unions in addressing brutality

These essay topics cover a wide range of issues related to police brutality, allowing you to explore different aspects of this complex and important topic. Whether you are writing a research paper, a persuasive essay, or a personal reflection on police brutality, these topic ideas can help you get started and develop a compelling argument or analysis. Remember to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your goals for the essay, whether that be raising awareness, advocating for policy changes, or exploring the impact of police brutality on society.

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87 Police Brutality Topics and Essay Examples

🏆 best police brutality topics for essays, 📌 most interesting police brutality essay topics, 👍 good research topics about police brutality, ❓ research questions about police brutality.

  • Police Deviance For the sake of this paper, the scope of this paper will only examine the code of conduct in reference to the relationship between the police force and the society.
  • Police Brutality: Internal and External Stakeholders To begin with, internal stakeholders such as police officers and judges have been observed to enforce the law discriminatively. Policymakers can be encouraged to propose and support powerful laws that have the potential to deal […]
  • Police Brutality: Causes and Solutions If the criminal is armed and firing at the police, the use of force is acceptable. However, when the actions of the police are disproportionate to the committed crimes, the necessity of such measures is […]
  • Impact of Police Brutality on the Society in the United States The issue of racism is one that has led to police brutality that has been witnessed in the American society for a long time.
  • Excessive Force and Deviance, Police Brutality The events highlighting racial injustice could positively influence our society, maintaining an appropriate level of awareness regarding the issues encountered by African-Americans and prompting a change in police behaviors.
  • History of Police Brutality: The Murder of George Floyd Police officers strive to maintain order and ensure adherence to the laws of the state. The standards observed the right to democracy and addressed the need for representation.
  • Body-Worn Cameras Against Police Brutality in New York There is often a legal foundation to such a privileged position; the laws control the oppressed class and mitigate threats to the power of the ruling class.
  • Police Brutality: Social Issue This paper explores the issue of police brutality and seeks to shed light on the perceptions of the public, especially the black minority.
  • Social Psychology: Police Brutality The first group of solutions to the problem of police brutality includes technical measures, such as the use of body cameras and dashboard cameras. Finally, another potential solution to police brutality is the diversification of […]
  • Technology Influences on Police Brutality Modern platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to inform and educate more people about the nature of police brutality.
  • Police Brutality: Dissoi Logoi Argumentation Under the influence of societal views, the majority of the representatives of the general public tend to perceive police officers as a safeguarding force that gathers individuals who perform their duties to ensure that the […]
  • Police Brutality in the USA This paper aims to discuss the types of police brutality, the particularities of psychological harm inflicted by the police, and its consequences for the population affected by these forms of violence.
  • Public Administration Issue: Police Brutality The trend is ongoing and is not expected to end any time soon because of the social structure and the culture that does not value the contributions of minorities and people of color.
  • Police Misconduct Actually, prosecutors are always reluctant to try these victims in the court of law for the following reasons; police officers, in most cases, are protected by the prosecutors.
  • Police Misconduct: What Can Be Done? Police officers are the individuals charged with the task of maintaining law and order and ensuring the security of the population.
  • Excessive Force by the Police On the other hand, the media reported on the severity of misconduct by police officers and cited the Blue code of silence as the key setback against the fight against police torture.
  • Police in Law Enforcement Misconduct This creates a rift between the community and the police leading to further misconduct in the process of enforcing the law.
  • The Incidents Involving Police Brutality
  • The Infringement of Natural Human Rights Because of Police Brutality in the United States
  • Police Brutality and Its Effects on the United States
  • The Flaws of Police Officers and the Issue of Police Brutality on an Individual
  • The Suffering and Fight of African-Americans Against Police Brutality
  • The Image Serving as a Reminder of Police Brutality
  • The Negative Effects of Police Brutality
  • The Changing Patterns of Racism and Police Brutality in the United States
  • Police Brutality and the Death of Freddie Gray
  • The Issue of Police Brutality and Injustice in the Story of Kalief Browder
  • The Relation Between Police Brutality and Race in the United States of America
  • Police Brutality and Racism Against African Americans
  • The High Prevalence of Police Brutality Towards African America
  • The US Government Faces Different Challenges with Police Brutality
  • The Truth About Police Brutality Against Minorities
  • The Importance of Body Cameras for Solving the Problem of Police Brutality
  • Protesting Protest Against Police Brutality
  • The Solutions to the Issue of Police Brutality in the United States
  • Racism: Police Brutality and Racial Profiling
  • Prejudice, Police Brutality, Racism: The Three Things We Are Trying to Get Rid Off
  • Problems Caused by Police Brutality
  • Police Misconduct and Police Brutality
  • The Issue of Police Brutality Against People of Color in the United States
  • The Issue of Police Brutality Against the Colored People in the United States
  • The Effects of Violence on Police Brutality
  • The Deaths Caused by Hurricane Katrina and Police Brutality in America
  • Social Media Activism, Centered on Police Brutality
  • The Effects of Police Brutality on the Relationship
  • The Long Problem of Police Brutality in the United States
  • The Police Brutality Against Minorities
  • Race, Police Brutality, Crime, Education and Poverty
  • The Issue of Police Brutality in the United States and the Solutions to Curb Police Misconduct
  • The Influence of the Media and Social Class in Police Brutality
  • The Dangers of Racial Profiling and Police Brutality
  • The Effects of Police Brutality on Minority Communities
  • The Effects of Police Brutality and Racism English
  • The Drug Trade as the Cause of Police Brutality in Brazil
  • Police Brutality and Their Power Caught on Video by Bystanders
  • How to Deal with the Problem of Police Brutality in the United States?
  • What is the Relations Police Brutality and Its Contributors?
  • How Repressive Laws and Police Brutality Against Mexican Americans Stigmatized the Race as a Whole?
  • How Race and Ethnicity Affects Police Brutality Term?
  • Police Brutality Ends Here?
  • What Does the Media Cover up the Police Brutality?
  • How Does Police Brutality on Children Affect How Society?
  • Does Police Brutality Distort the Way People View Law Enforcement?
  • How Can We Help Prevent Police Brutality?
  • How to Stop Police Brutality Against Minority’s?
  • Has Been Police Brutality Alive for Too Many Years?
  • Has Police Brutality Increased Throughout the United?
  • What Is Wrong with Police?
  • How Police Corruption Remains a Tainted Reminder of Police Brutality in the US?
  • Does Police Brutality Affect the Mental Health of Black Youth?
  • Why Isn’t Outrage over Police Brutality Enough?
  • Are the Police Taking Advantage of People by Using Police Brutality?
  • Has Been Police Brutality Around for Decades?
  • Should There Be Direct Laws Against Police Brutality?
  • Can You Trust the Law?
  • What Is the Police Brutality Effect on African American Males?
  • When the Police Duty to Protect Fails Police Brutality?
  • Religious Profiling and Police Brutality: How They Affect Operations?
  • What Are the Effects of Police Brutality?
  • Police Brutality: What’s Really Going on?
  • What is the New York City Police Brutality?
  • How Does the Body Camera Increase Police Brutality?
  • The Causes of Police Brutality in America: Is It Due to Police Behavior?
  • When Excessive Force Becomes Police Brutality Sociology?
  • What is the Link Between Police Brutality and the Law Enforcement Officers?
  • Corruption Ideas
  • Gun Control Titles
  • Racial Profiling Essay Topics
  • Economic Inequality Questions
  • Government Regulation Titles
  • Accountability Titles
  • Prejudice Essay Topics
  • Constitution Research Ideas
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

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A better path forward for criminal justice: Police reform

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Rashawn ray and rashawn ray senior fellow - governance studies clark neily clark neily senior vice president - cato institute.

  • 20 min read

Below is the first chapter from “A Better Path Forward for Criminal Justice,” a report by the Brookings-AEI Working Group on Criminal Justice Reform. You can access other chapters from the report here .

Recent incidents centering on the deaths of unarmed Black Americans including George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, William Green, and countless others have continued to apply pressure for wide sweeping police reform. To some, these incidents are the result of a few “bad apples.” 1

To others, they are examples of a system imbued with institutional and cultural failures that expose civilians and police officers to harm. Our article aims to combine perspectives from across the political spectrum on sensible police reform. We focus on short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for reducing officer-involved shootings, racial disparities in use of force, mental health issues among officers, and problematic officers who rotten the tree of law enforcement.

Level Setting

Violent crime has significantly decreased since the early 1990s. However, the number of mass shootings have increased and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security report being worried about domestic terrorism, even within law enforcement. Nonetheless, despite recent increases that some scholars associate with COVID-19 spillovers related to high unemployment and underemployment, violent crime is still much lower than it was three decades ago.

Some scholars attribute crime reductions to increased police presence, while others highlight increases in overall levels of education and employment. In the policy space, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 are often noted. We believe there is some validity to all of these perspectives. For example, SWAT deployment has increased roughly 1,400 percent since 1980. Coinciding with the 1986 Drug Bill, SWAT is often deployed for drug raids and no-knock warrants. 2 The death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman killed in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, is most recently highlighted as an example that demonstrates some of the problems with these tactics. 3

The 1994 Crime Bill ushered the COPS program and an increase in prisons around the country. 4 This legislation also coincided with stop-and-frisk policies and a rise in stand-your-ground laws that disproportionately disadvantaged Black Americans and led to overpolicing. It is an indisputable fact that Black people are more likely to have force used on them. In fact, Black people relative to white people are significantly less likely to be armed or be attacking at the time they are killed by police. This is a historical pattern, including during the 1960s when civil rights leaders were being beaten and killed. However, officer-involved killings, overall, have increased significantly over the past two decades. 5 And, we also know that if drugs were the only culprit, there would be drastically different outcomes for whites. Research shows that while Blacks and whites have similar rates of using drugs, and often times distributing drugs, there are huge disparities in who is arrested, incarcerated, and convicted for drug crimes. However, it is also an indisputable fact that predominately Black communities have higher levels of violent crime. Though some try to attribute higher crime in predominately Black neighborhoods to biology or culture, most scholars agree that inequitable resources related to housing, education, and employment contribute to these statistics. 6   7 8 Research documents that after controlling for segregation and disadvantage, predominately Black and white neighborhoods differ little in violent crime rates. 9

These are complex patterns, and Democrats and Republicans often differ on how America reached these outcomes and what we do about them. As a result, bipartisan police reform has largely stalled. Now, we know that in March 2021 the House of Representatives once again passed The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. States and localities are also presenting and passing a slew of police reforms, such as in Maryland where the state legislature passed the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021. We are not here to debate the merits of these legislations, though we support much of the components, nor are we here to simply highlight low-hanging fruit such as banning no-knock warrants, creating national databases, or requiring body-worn cameras. People across the political aisle largely agree on these reforms. Instead, we aim to provide policy recommendations on larger-scale reforms, which scholars and practitioners across the political aisle agree needs to occur, in order to transform law enforcement in America and take us well into the twenty-first century. Our main themes include accountability, training, and culture.

Accordingly, our recommendations include:

Short-Term Reforms

Reform Qualified Immunity

  • Create National Standards for Training and De-escalation

Medium-Term Reforms

Restructure Civilian Payouts for Police Misconduct

Address officer wellness.

Long-Term Reforms

Restructure Regulations for Fraternal Order of Police Contracts

Change police culture to protect civilians and police, short-term reforms.

Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that courts invented to make it more difficult to sue police and other government officials who have been plausibly alleged to have violated somebody’s rights. 10 11 We believe this doctrine needs to be removed. 12 13 States also have a role to play here. The Law Enforcement Bill of Rights further doubles down on a lack of accountable for bad apples.

We are not out on a limb here. A recent YouGov and Cato poll found that over 60 percent of Americans support eliminating qualified immunity. 14 Over 80 percent of Americans oppose erasing historical records of officer misconduct. In this regard, most citizens have no interest making it more difficult to sue police officers, but police seem to have a very strong interest in maintaining the policy. However, not only do everyday citizens want it gone, but think tanks including The Brookings Institution and The Cato Institute have asserted the same. It is a highly problematic policy.

Though police chiefs might not say it publicly or directly, we have evidence that a significant number of them are quite frustrated by their inability to get rid of the bad apples, run their departments in ways that align with best practices they learn at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and National Association of Chiefs of Police, and discipline and terminate officers who deserve to be held accountable and jeopardize not only the public perception of their own department but drag down the social standing of the entire law enforcement profession. As noted above, The Law Enforcement Bill of Rights at the state level needs to be addressed. It further doubles down on qualified immunity and removes accountability for law enforcement.

National Standards for Training and De-escalation

In 2016, Daniel Shaver was fatally shot and killed by officer Philip Brailsford. Brailsford was charged but found not guilty. At the time of the killing, Shaver was unarmed as he lay dead in a hotel hallway. Police experts critiqued Brailsford’s tactics to de-escalate the situation. As he entered the scene, he had both hands on his M4 rifle and eliminated all other tools or de-escalation tactics. Brailsford was fired, tried for murder, and then rehired. He ultimately retired due to PTSD. Highlighting the roles of militarization, mental health, qualified immunity, and other policy-related topics, this incident shows why there is a need for national standards for training and de-escalation. Many officers would have approached this situation differently, suggesting there are a myriad of tactics and strategies being taught.

Nationally, officers receive about 50 hours of firearm training during the police academy. They receive less than 10 hours of de-escalation training. So, when they show up at a scene and pull their weapon, whether it be on teenagers walking down the street after playing a basketball game or someone in a hotel or even a car (like in the killing of Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb), poor decisions and bad outcomes should not be surprising.

Police officers regardless of whether they live in Kentucky or Arizona need to have similar training. Among the roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country, there is wide variation in the amount of training that officers have to complete as well as what type of training they complete. With the amount of travel that Americans engage in domestically, law enforcement has not kept up to speed with ensuring that officers receive the same training. Consequently, police officers may be put in positions to make bad decisions because of a lack of the implementation of federal standards. Funding can be provided to have federally certified trainers who work with localities within states, counties, and cities.

MEDIUM-TERM REFORMS

From 2015–2019, the 20 largest U.S. municipalities spent over $2 billion in civilian payouts for police misconduct. Rather than the police department budget, these funds mostly come from general funds. 15 So, not only is the officer absolved from civil or financial culpability, but the police department often faces little financial liability. Instead, the financial burden falls onto the municipality; thus, taxpayers. This money could be going toward education, work, and infrastructure.

Not only are the financial settlement often expensive, like the $20 million awarded to William Green’s family in Prince George’s County, Maryland, but the associated legal fees and deteriorated community trust are costly. In a place like Chicago, over the past 20 years, it has spent about $700 million on civilian payouts for police misconduct. New York City spent about $300 million in the span of a few years.

We assert that civilian payouts for police misconduct must be restructured. Indemnification will be eliminated, making the officer responsible, and requiring them to purchase professional liability insurance the exact same way that other occupations such as doctors and lawyers do. This would give insurance companies a strong incentive to identify the problem officers early, to raise their rates just the way that insurance companies raise the rates on a bad driver or a doctor who engages in malpractice. In this regard, the cost of the insurance policy would increase the more misconduct an officer engaged in. Eventually, the worst officers would become uninsurable, and therefore unemployable. This would help to increase accountability. Instead of police chiefs having difficulties removing bad officers through pushback from the Fraternal Order of Police Union, bad officers would simply be unemployable by virtue of the fact that they cannot secure professional liability insurance.

Bottom line, police almost never suffer any financial consequences for their own misconduct.

Shifting civilian payouts away from tax money and to police department insurance policies would instantly change the accountability structure.

Shifting civilian payouts away from tax money and to police department insurance policies would instantly change the accountability structure. Police are almost always indemnified for that misconduct when there is a payout. And, what that means is simply that their department or the city, which is to say us, the taxpayers, end up paying those damages claims. That is absolutely the wrong way to do it.

Most proposals for restructuring civilian payouts for police misconduct have included some form of liability insurance for police departments and/or individual officers. This means shifting the burden from taxpayer dollars to police department insurance policies. If a departmental policy, the municipality should pay for that policy, but the money should come from the police department budget. Police department budget increases should take settlement costs into account and now simply allow for increased budgets to cover premium increases. This is a similar approach to healthcare providers working in a hospital. If individual officers have liability insurance, they fall right in line with other occupations that have professional liability insurance.

Congress could approve a pilot program for municipalities to explore the potential impacts of police department insurance policies versus individual officer liability insurance, and even some areas that use both policies simultaneously. Regardless, it is clear that the structure of civilian payouts for police misconduct needs to change. We believe not only will the change provide more funding for education, work, and infrastructure, but it will increase accountability and give police chiefs and municipalities the ability to rid departments of bad apples that dampen an equitable and transparent cultural environment.

Mental Health Counseling

In this broader discussion of policing, missing is not only the voices of law enforcement themselves, but also what is happening in their own minds and in their own bodies. Recent research has highlighted that about 80 percent of officers suffer from chronic stress. They suffer from depression, anxiety. They have relationship problems, and they get angered easily. One out of six report being suicidal. Another one out of six report substance abuse problems. Most sobering, 90 percent of them never seek help. 16  We propose that officers should have mandatory mental health counseling on a quarterly basis. Normalizing mental health counseling will reduce the stigma associated with it.

It is also important for law enforcement to take a serious look into the role of far-right extremism on officer attitudes and behaviors. There is ample evidence from The Department of Homeland Security showing the pervasive ways that far-right extremists target law enforcement. 17 Academic research examining social dominance ideation among police officers may be a key way to root out extremism during background checks and psychological evaluations. Social dominance can be assessed through survey items and decision-making simulations, such as the virtual reality simulations conducted at the Lab for Applied Social Science Research at the University of Maryland.

Community Policing

Community police is defined in a multitude of ways. One simple way we think about community policing is whether officers experience the community in everyday life, often when they are not on duty. Do they live in the community, send their children to local schools, exercise at the neighborhood gym, and shop at the main grocery store? Often times, police officers engage in this type of community policing in predominately white and affluent neighborhoods but less in predominately Black or Latino neighborhoods, even when they have higher household income levels. Police officers also live farther away from the areas where they work. While this may be a choice for some, others simply cannot afford to live there, particularly in major cities and more expensive areas of the country. Many police officers are also working massive amounts of over time to make ends meet, provide for their families, and send children to college.

Altogether, community policing requires a set of incentives. We propose increasing the required level of education, which can justify wage increases. This can help to reduce the likelihood of police officers working a lot of hours and making poor decisions because of lack of sleep or stress. We also propose requiring that officers live within or near the municipalities where they work. Living locally can increase police-community relations and improve trust. Officers should receive rent subsidies or down payment assistance to enhance this process.

LONG-TERM REFORMS

Unions are important. However, the Fraternity Order of Police Union has become so deeply embedded in law enforcement that it obstructs the ability for equitable and transparent policing, even when interacting with police chiefs. Police union contracts need to be evaluated to ensure they do not obstruct the ability for officers who engage in misconduct to be held accountable. Making changes to the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights at the state helps with this, but the Congress should provide more regulations to help local municipalities with this process.

Police have to be of the people and for the people. Often times, police officers talk about themselves as if they are detached from the community. Officers often view themselves as warriors at war with the people in the communities they serve. Police officers embody an “us versus them” perspective, rather than viewing themselves to be part of the community. 18

It must be a change to police culture regarding how police officers view themselves and view others. Part of changing culture deals with transforming how productivity and awards are allocated. Police officers overwhelmingly need to make forfeitures in the form of arrests, citations, and tickets to demonstrate leadership and productivity. Police officers rarely get credit for the everyday, mundane things they do to make their communities safe and protect and serve. We believe there must be a fundamental reconceptualization of both the mission of police and the culture in which that mission is carried out. Policing can be about respecting individuals and not using force. It is an ethical approach to policing that requires incentives positive outcomes rather than deficits that rewards citations and force.

T here must be a fundamental reconceptualization of both the mission of police and the culture in which that mission is carried out.

Recommendations for Future Research

First, research needs to examine how community policing and officer wellness programs can simultaneously improve outcomes for the community and law enforcement. The either/or model simply does not work any longer. Instead, research should determine what is best for local communities and improves the health and well-being of law enforcement. Second, future research on policing needs to examine the role that protests against police brutality, particularly related to Black Lives Matter protests, are having on reform at the local, state, and federal levels. It is important for policymakers to readily understand the demands of their constituents and ways to create peace and civility.

Finally, research needs to fully examine legislation to reallocate and shift funding away from and within police department budgets. 19  By taking a market-driven, evidence-based approach to police funding, the same methodology can be used that will lead to different results depending on the municipality. Police department budgets should be fiscally responsible and shift funding to focusing on solving violent crime, while simultaneously reducing use of force on low-income and racial/ethnic minority communities. It is a tall order, but federal funding could be allocated to examine all of these important research endeavors. It is a must if the United States is to stay as a world leader in this space. It is clear our country is falling short at this time.

We have aimed to take a deep dive into large policy changes needed for police reform that centers around accountability, finances, culture, and communities. Though there is much discussion about reallocating police funding, we believe there should be an evidence-based, market-driven approach. While some areas may need to reallocate funding, others may need to shift funding within the department, or even take both approaches. Again, with roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies, there is wide variation in funds provided for policing and how those funds are spent. This is why it is imperative that standards be set at the federal level to help municipalities grapple with this important issue and the others we highlight in this report.

RECOMMENDED READING

Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness . The New Press.

Brooks, Rosa. 2021. Tangled Up in Blue: Policing the American City : Penguin.

Horace, Matthew. 2019. The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America’s Law Enforcement . Hatchette Books.

Ray, Rashawn. “ How Should We Enhance Police Accountability in the United States? ” The Brookings Institution, August 25, 2020.

  • Ray, Rashawn. “Bad Apples come from Rotten Trees in Policing.” The Brookings Institution. May 30, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2020/05/30/bad-apples-come-from-rotten-trees-in-policing/
  • Neily, Clark. “Get a Warrant.” Cato Institute. October 27, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/blog/get-warrant
  • Brown, Melissa and Rashawn Ray. “Breonna Taylor, Police Brutality, and the Importance of #SayHerName.” The Brookings Institution. September 25, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2020/09/25/breonna-taylor-police-brutality-and-the-importance-of-sayhername/
  • Galston, William and Rashawn Ray. “Did the 1994 Crime Bill Cause Mass Incarceration?” The Brookings Institution. August 28, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/08/28/did-the-1994-crime-bill-cause-mass-incarceration/
  • Edwards, Frank, Hedwig Lee, and Michael Esposito. “Risk of Being Killed by Police Use of Force in the United States by Age, Race-Ethnicity, and Sex.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 2019. 116(34):16793 LP – 16798.
  • Peterson, Ruth D. and Lauren J. Krivo.  Divergent Social Worlds: Neighborhood Crime and the Racial-Spatial Divide , 2010. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
  • Friedson, Michael and Patrick Sharkey. “Violence and Neighborhood Disadvantage after the Crime Decline,”  The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2015. 660:1, 341–58.
  • Jeffrey D. Morenoff and Robert J. Sampson. 1997. “Violent Crime and The Spatial Dynamics of Neighborhood Transition: Chicago, 1970–1990,”  Social Forces  76:1, 31–64.
  • Peterson, Ruth D. and Lauren J. Krivo. 2010.  Divergent Social Worlds: Neighborhood Crime and the Racial-Spatial Divide , New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
  • Sobel, Nathaniel. “What Is Qualified Immunity, and What Does It Have to Do With Police Reform?” Lawfare. June 6, 2020. Available at: https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-qualified-immunity-and-what-does-it-have-do-police-reform
  • Schweikert, Jay. “Qualified Immunity: A Legal, Practical, and Moral Failure.” Cato Institute. September 14, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/qualified-immunity-legal-practical-moral-failure
  • Neily, Clark. “To Make Police Accountable, End Qualified Immunity. Cato Institute. May 31, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/commentary/make-police-accountable-end-qualified-immunity
  • Ray, Rashawn. “How to Fix the Financial Gymnastics of Police Misconduct Settlements.” Lawfare. April 1, 2021. Available at: https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-fix-financial-gymnastics-police-misconduct-settlements
  • Ekins, Emily. “Poll: 63% of Americans Favor Eliminating Qualified Immunity for Police.” Cato Institute. July 16, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/survey-reports/poll-63-americans-favor-eliminating-qualified-immunity-police#introduction
  • Ray, Rashawn. “Restructuring Civilian Payouts for Police Misconduct.” Sociological Forum, 2020. 35(3): 806–812.
  • Ray, Rashawn. “What does the shooting of Leonard Shand tell us about the mental health of civilians and police?” The Brookings Institution. October 16, 2019. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2019/10/16/what-does-the-shooting-of-leonard-shand-tell-us-about-the-mental-health-of-civilians-and-police/
  • Allen, John et al. “Preventing Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities.” Homeland Security Advisory Council, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. December 17, 2019. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/preventing_targeted_violence_against_faith-based_communities_subcommittee_0.pdf >.
  • Ray, Rashawn, Clark Neily, and Arthur Rizer. “What Would Meaningful Police Reform Look Like?” Video, Project Sphere, Cato Institute, 2020. Available at: https://www.projectsphere.org/episode/what-would-meaningful-police-reform-look-like/
  • Ray, Rashawn. “What does ‘Defund the Police’ Mean and does it have Merit?” The Brookings Institution, June 19, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/06/19/what-does-defund-the-police-mean-and-does-it-have-merit/

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June 20, 2024

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Police Topics for Research Papers

Erin schreiner.

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The field of law enforcement provides a number of interesting topics worthy of exploration. If you plan to write a research paper that relates to this subject, selecting a topic that is current and engaging to you can prove a wise choice. Before you make your final topic decisions, consider some of the exciting options at your disposal and select the one about which you can find the most interesting information and that personally appeals to you most.

Explore this article

  • Universal Precautions and the Police Force
  • The Use of Tasers
  • Communication Tools in Police Work
  • The Effectiveness of Non-Motorized Officers
  • Professional Development in Law Enforcement

1 Universal Precautions and the Police Force

Police work presents many dangers, one of which is the danger of contracting a disease through contact with human bodily fluids. Focus your research paper on the topic of universal precautions that officers can use to prevent disease contraction. Research the current universal precaution practices associated with police work as well as alternative options that could prove even more effective in keeping officers safe. Reference statistics in your resulting paper, using these numbers to prove the danger of disease contraction and the effectiveness of universal precautions or other prevention methods.

2 The Use of Tasers

Tasers are a relatively new tool in the police arsenal, and one that is often met with controversy. Gather information on tasers, their effectiveness and the dangers associated with taser use for your research paper. In your report, outline the benefits and weaknesses of using tasers, and discuss the precautions that police officers must take to use these tasers in a safe and effective fashion.

3 Communication Tools in Police Work

Communication is key to successful police work. Explore the tools of communication that police have at their disposal for your research paper. In your paper, discuss how each of these tools is used currently. Also, explore the potential changes to communication tools on the horizon, and explain how these changes could have an impact on the ease with which police can communicate necessary information.

4 The Effectiveness of Non-Motorized Officers

While many police officers cruise the town in squad cars, some have no motorized transportation at their disposal. Research these non-motorized officers, including foot patrolmen, bicycle-riding officers and even mounted police. Discuss situations in which these officers could be preferable to those who depend upon motorized transportation. Also, explore ways in which the effectiveness of these officers could be enhanced.

5 Professional Development in Law Enforcement

The field of law enforcement is an ever-changing one. For your research paper, explore the ways in which police officers are kept up to date on changes in the law enforcement field. Explore whether or not professional development is requisite for officers in your area, as well as how professional development is implemented. Also, discuss how this process could be improved upon to ensure that officers have the information they need to do their duties to the utmost effectiveness.

  • 1 Police One: Law Enforcement Topics

About the Author

Erin Schreiner is a freelance writer and teacher who holds a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. She has been actively freelancing since 2008. Schreiner previously worked for a London-based freelance firm. Her work appears on eHow, Trails.com and RedEnvelope. She currently teaches writing to middle school students in Ohio and works on her writing craft regularly.

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OPINION article

Diversifying the police through the tenets of intergroup contact theory.

\nSaaid A. Mendoza

  • 1 Department of Psychology, Providence College, Providence, RI, United States
  • 2 Department of Public Administration, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States

Introduction

Despite years of protests, bias in policing continues to be a controversial social issue in the US ( Pew Reseach Center, 2023 ). As such, law enforcement agencies have been called to change their practices and policies, many of which have disproportionately affected minority communities. One common solution adopted by police departments involves diversifying their ranks—an approach that is rooted in the belief that having more officers of color could mitigate racial tensions ( Peyton et al., 2022 ). Although this strategy is associated with some positive outcomes ( Ba et al., 2021 ), it is not without its challenges. Simply increasing diversity does not guarantee that officers will interact seamlessly with each other or their community members. In this article, we use intergroup contact theory as a framework through which to identify the obstacles that may arise within police departments seeking to diversify their units. Our goal is ultimately to provide empirically based suggestions to help overcome these challenges and promote the thoughtful application of social and organizational psychology to policing.

Intergroup contact theory in the context of policing

A large body of psychological research has shown that prejudice can be reduced through intergroup contact ( Pettigrew and Tropp, 2006 ). In fact, early support for intergroup contact theory emerged from a Philadelphia police department, where White officers expressed more positive attitudes and behaviors toward Black officers who had worked with them compared to White peers who did not have such contact ( Kephart, 1957 ). Similar findings continue to emerge in law enforcement, with positive contact predicting residents' attitudes toward police ( Peyton et al., 2019 ), perceptions of police violence ( Hayward et al., 2017 ), and willingness to cooperate ( Viki et al., 2006 ). Importantly, positive intergroup effects are most likely to emerge under certain conditions, specifically when contact occurs between groups of (1) equal status who have (2) cooperative interdependence , are working toward a (3) common goal , and have (4) institutional support ( Allport, 1954 ). These factors can attenuate bias by increasing knowledge about others, enhancing empathy and perspective-taking, and reducing intergroup anxiety ( Tausch and Hewstone, 2010 ). Below, we consider each of the four optimal conditions within the context of police departments and identify ways in which these hurdles can be overcome for diversity to thrive.

Equal status

Equal status can be understood as perceptions of power within a situation. In other words, groups that come into contact should feel that they are on equal standing. However, the lack of diversity in police departments poses a challenge, as the high representation of White (76%) male (86%) officers creates a numerical majority that possesses power ( Dhanani et al., 2022 ). The problem may be further compounded by the hierarchical structure of law enforcement agencies and social hierarchies of race and gender ( Grusky, 1994 ). Strategies to diversify the police workforce should therefore consider the power dynamics that exist between high (e.g., White men) and low status (e.g., people of color, women) groups, especially since these status differences can moderate contact effects ( Henry and Hardin, 2006 ).

To this end, policing organizations should ensure that recruitment and selection procedures do not inadvertently exacerbate inequality. First, we caution against superficial efforts that seek to hire only a few minority applicants, a practice which could result in individuals being “tokenized” ( Stroshine and Brandl, 2011 ). Tokenism tends to heighten the visibility of minority members, exaggerates small group differences, and leads to more stereotypical perceptions ( Kanter, 1977 ). In turn, these detrimental effects can generate performance pressure, produce arbitrary boundaries and role restrictions, and contribute to a climate of inequity ( King et al., 2010 ). Conversely, selection procedures that seek to dramatically diversify police departments through quota-based affirmative action approaches—such as those associated with consent decrees—also risk minority hires experiencing a “stigma of incompetence,” while providing self-esteem boosts for White men ( Leslie et al., 2014 ; Unzueta et al., 2008 ).

Perceptions of policing itself may also sustain and heighten the presence of status differences. As a traditionally masculine occupation with a racialized history, policing may be perceived as incongruent with stereotypes about women and people of color. Such assumptions are likely to translate to expectations that these officers are ill-suited for the job, resulting in reduced perceptions of competence and status ( Brescoll et al., 2010 ). Thus, to facilitate equal status between groups in police organizations, it may be necessary to examine how the role of police officer is defined and perceived. For example, research has demonstrated that including traditionally feminine characteristics in professional prototypes of male-dominated occupations (e.g., compassion in firefighting) increases the perceived value of women in the profession ( Danbold and Bendersky, 2020 ). Similarly, efforts to foster a service-minded police force that values social skills and empathy can counter the perception that some officers have lesser status ( Bloksgaard and Prieur, 2021 ).

Cooperative interdependence

Sherif (1961) 's classic Robber's Cave Study on intergroup conflict demonstrated the importance of cooperative interdependence. After developing an attachment to their ingroup at a summer camp, boys were introduced to an outgroup that quickly became their rivals through competition. Their prejudice for each other only dissipated after positive intergroup contact that involved working together, a process that can also elicit group-based gratitude and reciprocity ( Rambaud et al., 2021 ).

Certainly, teamwork is critical to the success of police departments, as officers that work well together can increase their safety, improve communication, boost morale, and provide support to carry out their duties more effectively ( Bergner, 1997 ). However, officers may also experience a heightened sense of competition through the structural and reward systems that are in place. Recent work on masculinity contest cultures in policing organizations points to several ways in which dog-eat-dog competition prevails in law enforcement, with officers describing conflict between junior and senior staff and an adversarial promotion process ( Workman-Stark, 2021 ). Competition may even occur within the communities they are assigned to serve, with officers often feeling a sense of “us” vs. “them” which motivates them to protect the thin blue line ( Dhanani et al., 2022 ).

As police forces move toward more representation, such efforts can fail if diversity is not integrated within an inclusive and equitable space that reduces competition. Procedural justice offers one path for fostering cooperation among police officers and community members. Research suggests that receiving fair treatment from authorities through voice, neutrality, and respect both enhances legitimacy and conveys information about one's standing in society, thus heightening cooperative behavior ( Tyler and Blader, 2003 ). Indeed, training officers on the components of procedural justice has shown promise, with studies demonstrating improved resident attitudes and reductions in crimes and arrests ( Weisburd et al., 2022 ). It is important to note, however, that a reliance on training alone can backfire when targeting competitive cultures in law enforcement ( Rawski and Workman-Stark, 2018 ). Thus, efforts should focus not only on training, but also on changes that alter the procedural justice climate of police departments ( Trinkner et al., 2016 ; Tyler, 2024 ).

Common goals

Individuals working toward a common goal can experience the benefits of intergroup contact ( Aronson, 2002 ; Rico et al., 2012 ). For instance, players on sports teams can overlook their differences and become more cohesive when they are committed to their superordinate goal of winning. The Common Ingroup Identity Model has also shown strong empirical evidence for reducing intergroup prejudice by transforming “us” and “them” into “we” through cooperative interactions that are driven by shared goals ( Gaertner et al., 1993 ).

In the context of policing, it is important to ask whether police officers share a common goal. For instance, do they strive to serve and protect the public, or to uphold the law at all costs? We acknowledge that these two are not the sole goals of police departments, nor are they necessarily mutually exclusive. However, the pattern of racialized policing at least suggests that goals are often fluid and context dependent. For example, patrolling high crime neighborhoods can trigger safety concerns among officers, just as racial stereotypes can be automatically activated under conditions of fear and fatigue to influence shooting decisions ( Correll et al., 2014 ). Moreover, goals may differ for women and officers of color, who can struggle internally with their personal and professional identities ( Headley, 2022 ). Given that minority groups have greater distrust of law enforcement ( Tyler, 2001 ), Black and Latino officers must combat the negative stigma of being a “traitor” or “sell-out.” Thus, departments that diversify themselves should consider the wide range of lived experiences and beliefs that are also being brought in rather than assume that all officers are on the same page about their goals.

Job analyses may prove fruitful to outline police work and examine shared or discrepant understanding of officers' duties ( Landy and Vasey, 1991 ; Mullins and Kimbrough, 1988 ). Additionally, job analyses can help reveal which values and characteristics are most predictive of problematic and desirable police actions. For example, the excessive use of force is linked to greater support for social hierarchies ( Swencionis et al., 2021 ), whereas compassion has been associated with more cooperative and empathic behavioral expressions ( Mercadillo et al., 2014 ). Despite their popularity, the Big 5 personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extraversion have not been found to reliably predict police performance ( Sanders, 2008 ). Job analyses can therefore reduce the potential for assumptions to guide the selection process and clarify which goals and beliefs would best help diversity thrive in law enforcement.

Institutional support

Lastly, intergroup contact effects are dependent on groups having support from social and institutional authorities. When outgroups believe that positive contact between them is sanctioned and encouraged by those in power, they are more likely to reap its benefits ( Landis et al., 1984 ). However, leadership may be resistant to changing systems that have traditionally empowered them, especially in law enforcement. Research suggests that police can maintain group-based hierarchies by appealing to, selecting, and promoting individuals who hold strong social dominance attitudes ( Sidanius et al., 2004 ). Furthermore, the motivation to maintain the status quo may also be strong within low-status groups, even to their detriment ( Jost and Hunyady, 2003 ).

Some research has paradoxically shown that increases in the presence of Black officers can result in increased racial profiling—an effect that is likely explained by the pressure to act “blue over black” ( Wilkins and Williams, 2008 ). Rather than serving as a catalyst for fostering positive intergroup attitudes and behavior, contact without adequate institutional support can instead place the onus on minority group members to conform and reinforce prejudicial attitudes ( Reimer and Sengupta, 2023 ). Without substantial changes to policies, socialization processes, and leadership buy-in, the potential benefits offered by greater diversity are likely to be superseded by the norms and values that are codified into police culture.

To institutionally support their units, police chiefs must consider professional development programs that go beyond implicit bias. Although these trainings are popular, trying to change internal attitudes or culturally-held beliefs is less likely to be successful than targeting specific behaviors ( Lai and Lisnek, 2023 ). Institutions can instead emphasize skills training that has been shown to reduce racial disparities in shooting decisions and stop and search behaviors ( Pryor et al., 2020 ). Because officers are more likely to be influenced by supervisor expectations than community responsibilities ( Ishoy, 2016 ), it is also imperative that departments create a sense of accountability among their peers. One training intervention known as Ethical Policing is Courageous ( EPIC, 2024 ) has shown early potential, with New Orleans officers learning how to prevent police misconduct before it happens ( https://epic.nola.gov/home/ ). Its goal is to change law enforcement culture by redefining what it means to be loyal and empowering officers to police one another.

Past research shows that diversity alone may not be sufficient for producing long-term changes in organizational culture and performance ( Eagly, 2016 ). We therefore caution against superficial attempts to diversify law enforcement agencies without other systemic changes and emphasize the need to implement strategies in tandem with one another. We outlined how diversity efforts may find greater success when police organizations consider the four “optimal” conditions of intergroup contact theory: equal status, cooperative interdependence, common goals , and institutional support . We are optimistic about the promise these approaches have for enacting change in the broader legal system.

Author contributions

SM: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. SC: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: diversity inclusion, police, intergroup contact, racial bias, social justice

Citation: Mendoza SA and Caleo S (2024) Diversifying the police through the tenets of intergroup contact theory. Front. Organ. Psychol. 2:1457526. doi: 10.3389/forgp.2024.1457526

Received: 04 July 2024; Accepted: 30 August 2024; Published: 17 September 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Mendoza and Caleo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Saaid A. Mendoza, smendoza@providence.edu

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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  • criminal justice

1 year after end of cash bail in IL, early research shows impact less than many hoped or feared

Law enforcement officials continue to weigh pros, cons of legislation

CHICAGO -- One year after Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate the use of cash bail, the impact on the state's criminal justice system appears to have been far less dramatic than people on either side of the debate had predicted.

That, at least, is the early indication from an analysis of data being monitored by the Center for Criminal Justice at Loyola University in Chicago.

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"Jail populations did go down a bit, but nowhere near as much as some people were predicting, and the research suggests that the rate at which people are being released from jail pretrial likely hasn't changed dramatically," David Olson, a co-director of the center, said during an interview this week.

"What's changing is that the means of release are changing," he added. "People don't have to post the money, and rather than being released in a few days when they come up with the money, they're being released in a day or two."

The law to end cash bail in Illinois passed the General Assembly during a special lame duck session in January 2021. Known as the Pretrial Fairness Act, it was part of a broader criminal justice reform package known as the SAFE-T Act that was backed by the Legislative Black Caucus.

Those measures passed during a period of social unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police the previous summer. But the push to reform the cash bond system in Illinois had begun years earlier.

In 2017, the Illinois Supreme Court formed a Commission on Pretrial Practices, charging it with studying and making recommendations about comprehensive pretrial reform. That commission issued a report in April 2020, a full month before Floyd's murder.

In that report, the commission noted there was already a "growing national movement" underway focused on eliminating cash bail as a means of securing a defendant's appearance in court because it resulted in people being detained in jail, sometimes for lengthy periods of time while awaiting trial, solely because of their inability to pay a cash bond.

The report called for a new pretrial system in which only people charged with specific violent offenses would be held while awaiting trial. It further recommended detention only if prosecutors could show they posed an "unmanageable level of risk" that they would commit more offenses while on release and that no conditions or set of conditions could be attached to their release that would mitigate that risk.

The law passed the General Assembly on Jan. 13, 2021. Gov. JB Pritzker signed it into law Feb. 22, prompting a flurry of lawsuits in circuit courts throughout the state by county sheriffs and state's attorneys who challenged its constitutionality.

In December 2022, Pritzker signed an amendment to the original law that clarified which individuals and what crimes would be eligible for detention.

Then, just before the law was set to go into effect later that month, the Supreme Court put it on hold while it considered those challenges. But in a 5-2 ruling in July 2023, the court rejected those challenges, upheld the law as constitutional, and cleared the way for it to go into effect 60 days later, on Sept. 18, 2023 .

In advance of the one-year anniversary of the new law, the Center for Criminal Justice released preliminary data from its ongoing effort to monitor the law's impact.

One of the first things researchers noticed, Olson said, is that detention hearings now take considerably more time than they used to. In urban counties that handle large numbers of criminal cases, he said, the median length of a detention hearing went from four minutes before the law took effect to 16 minutes under the new rules.

Researchers also noticed a change in the issues discussed during those hearings. Prior to the new law, Olson said, most of the discussion centered on the offense being charged and the defendant's criminal history. But since the new law went into effect, he said there is more focus on the strength of the evidence against the defendant as well as the risk the defendant poses to other individuals.

Also, he said, judges have begun providing more specific, detailed explanations for their decisions about whether to hold a defendant or place conditions on their release.

"Part of that is likely because this is a new law," he said. "There are a lot of legal challenges on individual cases as to whether or not the person should have been detained, and it's likely the judges are trying to establish a clear record for those subsequent appeals. But part of it is also that the expectations of what is considered during the decision to detain are much more clearly articulated in the law, and the judge is likely trying to ensure that they kind of touch on all those things that have to be considered."

But one issue that no longer comes up during detention hearings, he said, is money.

"Prior to the law going into effect, statewide about $140 million each year was paid by defendants in the form of posting money to secure their pretrial release," he said. "No longer are they posting money to secure their pretrial release. So, $140 million is now remaining in the community."

Meanwhile, Olson said, the research so far has not shown any significant change in the percentage of people who fail to appear for subsequent court hearings. Prior to the new law, he said, the failure-to-appear rate hovered around 17 percent, and since the law took effect it has been "statistically very similar," at about 15 percent.

In addition, he said, the research so far has not documented any increase in crime as a result of defendants being released without posting bond.

"We can't say whether it's had an impact on crime," Olson said. "But what we can say is, during the first six months of 2023 compared to the first six months of 2024, crime is not up in Illinois. It's not up in Chicago. It's not up in other urban areas. It's not up in rural areas. It's not up for violent crime. It's not up for property crime."

Olson emphasized that the findings so far are only preliminary because the law is still new and many of the most serious criminal cases that have been filed in the last year are still working their way through the court system.

But he said the research so far does appear to indicate that the basic theory behind the old cash bail system - that requiring someone to post a bond was necessary to protect public safety and secure a defendant's later appearance in court - was fundamentally flawed.

"There's plenty of empirical evidence that suggests that people posting money isn't what guaranteed them showing up to court," he said. "And part of it is to recognize where the money that they are posting comes from. It's usually not the defendant's money. It's their family's money."

He noted money used to post bail was often never returned to the defendant under the previous system.

"And also the threat of losing your money if you don't show up - for many defendants, they realize that they're not going to see that money ever again, that if they're convicted, that money is going to be used to pay fines and fees, all of which can still be imposed by the by the court," he said.

Some lawmakers and advocates gathered Wednesday morning to mark the anniversary.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was among those celebrating the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

She said for too long people were jailed simply because they didn't have the money to buy their freedom.

Others are not thrilled with elements of the law.

Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said it has strained the court system by increasing caseloads.

DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin wants to see the law changed to give judges discretion to detain defendants charged with certain crimes.

Berlin was initially a critic, but pushed for modifications to cashless bail provisions before the law took effect.

"Overall, I think the law is working fairly well," he said.

Berlin said he would like Illinois adopt the model for pre-trial fairness used by New Jersey.

"Their law provides judges with discretion in almost every single felony to detain someone if they're a threat to the community, threat to intimidate witnesses or a threat to obstruct justice," Berlin said.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart supported the criminal reform bill, and said it's led to a decrease in violent crime.

"The SAFE-T Act is making sure that those with access to cash can't simply use their cash to get out at 2 a.m. and harm someone they just harmed," Rinehart said.

Cook County public defender Sharone Mitchell said some lawmakers launched a fearmongering campaign that a cashless system would lead to criminals flooding the streets.

"You saw state's attorneys across the state, some sheriffs, really predict that there was going to be chaos, that there would be a purge, and no one would come to court," Mitchell said.

Whether lawmakers call for continued adjustments, they say the act makes public safety a priority.

ABC7 Chicago's Karen Jordan contributed to this report.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

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Peter Cole: anaesthetist and researcher who highlighted the dangers of passive smoking years before it was considered a public health threat

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For Peter Cole, an anaesthetist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, the life of a conventional hospital consultant would never have satisfied his intellectual curiosity. He had a busy brain and was keen to push scientific boundaries, and so alongside his clinical work he embarked on a long academic career—at a time when few anaesthetists were engaged in research.

Described by Charles Hinds, one of Cole’s trainees and now emeritus professor of intensive care at Barts, as an “original thinker and true pioneer,” Cole established an innovative research laboratory with “no visible, to us at least, source of funding; his enthusiasm and determination overcoming all the many obstacles he encountered along the way.”

His research covered both anaesthesia and many other topics that interested him, including studying the effects of air pollution and cigarette smoking by measuring carbon monoxide levels in the blood.

“He performed these measurements in smokers and non-smokers, police on point duty, manual and desk bound city workers, and, ingeniously, residents of the Isle of Sark, where there were no cars but plenty of extremely cheap duty free cigarettes,” said Hinds.

In the early 1970s he began researching the effects of passive smoking, a matter that at this time was not widely recognised as a problem. In one study he persuaded 12 non-smokers to sit in an unventilated room for …

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  1. 379 Police Essay Topics to Research & Write about

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  20. Research & Evidence-Based Policing

    Research & Evidence-Based Policing. For decades, leaders in the criminal justice field have emphasized the importance of measuring the effectiveness of law enforcement policies and practices because understanding the various approaches that agencies employ to handle contemporary issues can either inform or validate a current or proposed course ...

  21. Law Enforcement

    NIJ's is dedicated to the development of knowledge and tools that will advance policing operations and practices to deliver policing services to communities more effectively and efficiently. The National Institute of Justice has been a leader in developing and advancing the research agenda for policing. On this page, find links to articles, awards, events, publications, and multimedia related ...

  22. Police Topic Directory

    Police Topic Directory. Browse the Police1 topic directory and find curated content on a variety of law enforcement matters, including our collection of special coverage packages tackling high-interest issues, featuring voices from our roster of law enforcement subject matter experts. See what other officers are reading - check out the most ...

  23. Frontiers

    Research suggests that police can maintain group-based hierarchies by appealing to, selecting, and promoting individuals who hold strong social dominance attitudes (Sidanius et al., 2004). Furthermore, the motivation to maintain the status quo may also be strong within low-status groups, even to their detriment ( Jost and Hunyady, 2003 ).

  24. Police

    A month before George Floyd's death, black and white Americans differed sharply in confidence in the police. In April, 78% of Americans overall - but 56% of black Americans - said they had confidence in police officers to act in the public's best interests. short readsJun 3, 2020.

  25. No cash bail Illinois: A year after end of bail, early research shows

    1 year after end of cash bail in IL, early research shows impact less than many hoped or feared. Law enforcement officials continue to weigh pros, cons of legislation

  26. UK's health-related benefits bill rose to £48bn in 2023-24, research finds

    UK's health-related benefits bill rose to £48bn in 2023-24, research finds Such welfare spending has increased faster in Britain than in comparable nations, IFS says

  27. Peter Cole: anaesthetist and researcher who highlighted the ...

    His research covered both anaesthesia and many other topics that interested him, including studying the effects of air pollution and cigarette smoking by measuring carbon monoxide levels in the blood. ... police on point duty, manual and desk bound city workers, and, ingeniously, residents of the Isle of Sark, where there were no cars but ...

  28. Des Moines shootout leaves fleeing suspect dead and 2 police officers

    An early morning shootout has left two Iowa police officers hospitalized and a suspect dead. Des Moines police say the fatal encounter began around 1:40 a.m. Monday when patrol officers