| Good Economist piece about US policing and it's failings here on 13:11 - Jun 5 by GeoffSentence |
As it is behind a paywall could you summarise it. |
I thought you could read a couple of pieces without a log in, maybe you have to register first as you certainty can without a subscription.
Multiple causes:
- Fragmentation: 18,000 Law Enforcement agencies, only 65 Federal;
- City Chiefs appointed by mayors, county sheriffs directly elected - populism of more direct democracy;
- Heavily armed country, 2,445 police officers killed 2000-2014 but police kill 1,000+ a year;
- Ridiculous examples of ex-military kit being used by police forces - rifles, anti-mine vehicles (LAPD did turn down grenade launchers....);
- Particularly aggressive training which some forces opt for.
Which leads to:
- African-Americans more likely to be convicted and serve longer sentences than white people for the same crimes. Three times more likely to be killed by police.
- Disproportionate number of incidents involve addicts and/or mentally ill people but that reflects what people call police about (i.e racial bias perhaps wider than just police).
- Lack of training -> directly to police violence;
- Few consequences when police use force.
Some forces are better, cites Camden, NJ. Disestablished police force and started again with many of same officers. Use and review body cameras but very much an exception.
Plus Trump undid Obama-era programmes to improve police-community relations, curtailed DOJ investigations into police departments. |  |
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