Producing Bias Free Policing

This Brief provides specific recommendations for police professionals to reduce the influence of implicit bias on police practice, which will improve both effectiveness (in a shift towards evidence-based, rather than bias-based) practices and police legitimacy. The author is donating her proceeds from this book to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (nleomf.org).

Proactive policing, as a strategic approach used by police agencies to prevent crime, is a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. It developed from a crisis in confidence in policing that began to emerge in the 1960s because of social unrest, rising crime rates, and growing skepticism regarding the effectiveness of standard approaches to policing. In response, beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, innovative police practices and policies that took a more proactive approach began to develop. This report uses the term "proactive policing" to refer to all policing strategies that have as one of their goals the prevention or reduction of crime and disorder and that are not reactive in terms of focusing primarily on uncovering ongoing crime or on investigating or responding to crimes once they have occurred. Proactive policing is distinguished from the everyday decisions of police officers to be proactive in specific situations and instead refers to a strategic decision by police agencies to use proactive police responses in a programmatic way to reduce crime. Today, proactive policing strategies are used widely in the United States. They are not isolated programs used by a select group of agencies but rather a set of ideas that have spread across the landscape of policing. Proactive Policing reviews the evidence and discusses the data and methodological gaps on: (1) the effects of different forms of proactive policing on crime; (2) whether they are applied in a discriminatory manner; (3) whether they are being used in a legal fashion; and (4) community reaction. This report offers a comprehensive evaluation of proactive policing that includes not only its crime prevention impacts but also its broader implications for justice and U.S. communities.

The first thorough study of the Justice Department’s pattern or practice program, examining how it works and how court-imposed consent decrees implement needed reforms American society grapples with an enduring crisis in policing which is inextricably intertwined with the nation’s deeply rooted racial issues. While there have been great strides in policing over the past five decades, the United States continues to wrestle with serious crime and strained relations between law enforcement and African American communities. In this comprehensive analysis, Samuel Walker, a leading figure in the study of criminal justice, focuses on the pivotal federal effort behind police reform—the US Justice Department’s pattern or practice program. Created by Congress in 1994, this program gives the Justice Department the authority to investigate police departments that display patterns of unconstitutional practices, initiate civil suits, and secure court-enforced consent decrees that mandate reform. Walker meticulously examines the reforms dictated by these consent decrees, delves into the challenges of their implementation, and evaluates the progress made by various departments in enhancing police services. Despite various obstacles, the program has proven successful. The Future of Police Reform also considers the broader societal, political, and legal issues that profoundly influence reform efforts, such as an entrenched police subculture hindering change, the formidable power of police unions, and a lack of full support from local political leaders. In conclusion, Walker celebrates reform efforts across the country and foresees a network of local and state centers of activity fostering continued optimism for the future of police reform in the US. A collective effort holds the promise of genuine and lasting change.

"This book gives a brief yet thorough summary of the main components of police accountability in the 21st century. What works, what doesn’t, and where are we going in the future? I love to use it with my undergraduate students to help them understand the complexities of policing in the modern era." —Janne E. Gaub, East Carolina University Completely revised to cover recent events and research, the Third Edition of The New World of Police Accountability provides an original and comprehensive analysis of some of the most important developments in police accountability and reform strategies. With a keen and incisive perspective, esteemed authors and policing researchers, Samuel Walker and Carol Archbold, address the most recent developments and provide an analysis of what works, what reforms are promising, and what has proven unsuccessful. The book’s analysis draws on current research, as well as the President′s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and the reforms embodied in Justice Department consent decrees. New to the Third Edition: The national crisis over police legitimacy and use of force, is put into context through extensive discussions of recent police shootings and the response to this national crisis, providing readers a valuable perspective on the positive steps that have been taken and the limits of those steps. Coverage of the issues related to police officer uses of force is now the prevailing topic in Chapter 3 and includes detailed discussion of the topic, including de-escalation, tactical decision making, and the important changes in training related to these issues. An updated examination of the impact of technology on policing, including citizens’ use of recording devices, body-worn cameras, open data provided by police agencies, and use of social media, explores how technology contributes to police accountability in the United States. A complete, up-to-date discussion of citizen oversight of the police provides details on the work of selected oversight agencies, including the positive developments and their limitations, enabling readers to have an informed discussion of the subject. Detailed coverage of routine police activities that often generate public controversy now includes such topics as responding to mental health calls, domestic violence calls, and police "stop and frisk" practices. Issues related to policing and race relations are addressed head-on through a careful examination of the data, as well as the impact of recent reforms that have attempted to achieve professional, bias-free policing.

Policing does not happen in a vacuum. The mood, viewpoints, and stresses of society impact how policing occurs and how it is perceived. Starting in June and July 2020, the nation saw weeks of protests, civil disturbances, and riots that were specifically directed against the police. This most recent round of public unrest was sparked by the senseless, needless, and improper death of George Floyd. Having seen similar deaths of black males while involved with police officers, the nation had had enough and demands for something to be done, were far reaching and involved more than just the black community or a few protestors. An all-encompassing variety of people either joined the protests or supported them. People of all demographic backgrounds, economic levels, and professions resoundingly condemned the actions of the officers in the Floyd incident, even police officers and police leaders. Policing in America needs to change. Scott Cunningham offers advice on a wide variety of policing aspects, including but not limited to, leadership, training, equipment and weapons, government’s roles and responsibilities, citizen and community participation, investigation procedure, police culture and attitudes, the list goes on. Looking at policing from multiple angles, he provides implementable recommendations for up and down the chain of command that, individually and collectively, could enhance policing and improve the quality of life for everyone.

Policing in the 21st century is becoming increasingly complicated as economic, political, social, and legal circumstances continue to compel police organizations to evolve. To illustrate the complexity of policing in the 21st century and cover themes common to police organizations around the world, Exploring Contemporary Police Challenges: A Global Perspective is organized into six sections, which cover the key policing challenges across the globe. Based on US President Barack Obama’s 2015 Task Force’s organization into six broad pillars, this volume contains contributions from policing experts focusing on Building Trust and Legitimacy; Providing Policy and Oversight; Utilizing Technology and Social Media; Developing Community Policing and Crime Reduction; Providing Police Training and Education; and Facilitating Officer Wellness and Safety. Scholarly analyses and discussions of these issues in 16 countries on 6 continents offer a global perspective on policing in the 21st century. This volume simultaneously enhances the scope of policing scholarship and demonstrates that no country can sidestep the need to adjust to these rapid and profound changes.

Written by a diverse range of scholars, this accessible introductory volume asks: What is implicit bias? How does implicit bias compromise our knowledge of others and social reality? How does implicit bias affect us, as individuals and participants in larger social and political institutions, and what can we do to combat biases? An interdisciplinary enterprise, the volume brings together the philosophical perspective of the humanities with the perspective of the social sciences to develop rich lines of inquiry. Its twelve chapters are written in a non-technical style, using relatable examples that help readers understand what implicit bias is, its significance, and the controversies surrounding it. Each chapter includes discussion questions and additional annotated reading suggestions, and a companion webpage contains teaching resources. The volume is an invaluable resource for students—and researchers—seeking to understand criticisms surrounding implicit bias, as well as how one might answer them by adopting a more nuanced understanding of bias and its role in maintaining social injustice.

Winner of the 2020 Textbook Excellence Award from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA) "The contemporary issues and challenges confronting the U.S. justice system are critically and comprehensively examined in the latest edition of Introduction to Criminal Justice: Systems, Diversity, and Change. The text applies a unique lens to understanding the interconnected nature of crime and justice, the role of diversity, and how technology has changed the field of law enforcement, the courts, and the correctional system." —Christina Mancini, Virginia Commonwealth University Helping students develop a passion to learn more about the dynamic field of criminal justice, this concise bestseller introduces students to the criminal justice system by following the case studies of four individuals in their real-life progression through the system. Each case study is strategically woven throughout the book to help students remember core concepts and make connections between different branches of the system. In addition to illustrating the real-life pathways and outcomes of criminal behavior and victimization, authors Callie Marie Rennison and Mary Dodge provide students with a more inclusive overview of criminal justice by offering insight into overlooked demographics and the perspectives of victims. This newly revised Third Edition encourages students to think critically and discuss issues affecting today’s criminal justice system with engaging coverage of victims, criminal justice professionals, offenders, and controversial issues found in the criminal justice process. This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package. Contact your SAGE representative to request a demo. Digital Option / Courseware SAGE Vantage is an intuitive digital platform that delivers this text’s content and course materials in a learning experience that offers auto-graded assignments and interactive multimedia tools, all carefully designed to ignite student engagement and drive critical thinking. Built with you and your students in mind, it offers simple course set-up and enables students to better prepare for class. Learn more. Assignable Video with Assessment Assignable video (available with SAGE Vantage) is tied to learning objectives and curated exclusively for this text to bring concepts to life. Watch a sample video now. LMS Cartridge: Import this title’s instructor resources into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Don’t use an LMS? You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site. Learn more.