In order to try and solve or find out what is a social problem we must first know what is considered a social problem. According to Macionis a social problem is a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members if a society and is usually a matter of public controversy. It other words it has to be something that makes Americans try to prove why their views is right on a certain topic. I believe that so many social problems would be solved if Americans would be more open- minded instead of having a one sided view. The topic I chose to write about is police violence. This is an ideal topic to talk about because it’s one of those topics that break off into multiple social problems such as racial profiling, civil rights and human …show more content…
I found couple categories that would support police brutality such as racist, the police and the media. A lot of individuals believe that police brutality is acceptable because they are here to protect us. They also feel that police have the right to protect themselves and their partners.
The thing I find compelling about both sides is that people against police violence/brutality believe that police should find ways to deescalate the situation so they won’t have to use deadly force whereas people who support police violence/brutality believe they should use whatever force that is necessary. The reason I find this compelling is because people who support police brutality like to add they have a family they have to go home to. That’s also the same message that the people who are against police brutality are trying to send.
My plan of action is to do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions. I feel like since I got so many people I can go to that are in law enforcement I can see the views of a police officers and other people involved with the law. I can find reliable research on the internet about people/families who are a victim to police
In a viewpoint by Nicole Flatow titled “History Indicates Varied Results in Improving Police Brutality in America,” She believes that there has been little reforms regarding police brutality. Nicole argues for years, America has barely made any effort on improving the use of force by police officers. For example, victims such as Rodney King and Amadou Diallo, led to some reforms, but did not solve the violence of police brutality. With the beating of Rodney King that was captured on camera, it sparked massive outrage that led to a riot when the police officers received no charges. Because of the riots, it created a momentum for a reform of the police.
Addressing police brutality must be done with empathy for and awareness of the plight of the African-American community. Historically speaking, there has not been a period wherein the African-American community was not inhibited by institutionalized barriers. American enslavement provided the foundation for later oppressive provisions that are especially prevalent within inner-city, predominantly Black communities, which, incidentally, many of the prominent instances of police brutality have taken place. Political regimes like the “war on drugs,” “school to prison pipeline,” and mass incarceration criminalize and dehumanize the African-American community, and thus affect the collective mindset of the population. I believe that an imperative first step that has not been taken is acknowledging the effects these may have on the Black community.
Policing has seen much progress. Some reforms do work, and some types of abuse have been reduced. Today, among both police officials and rank and file officers, it is widely recognized that police brutality hinders good law enforcement. Whenever a new case of police brutality comes to light, people in the community must respond politically to ensure justice for the victim. These actions must be timely to be truly effective.
Police Brutality In today's society, it is not uncommon for police officer misconduct, including brutality, to gain everyone's attention. When one officer shoots and kills a suspect, that officer is investigated in order to ensure there was no intentions to harm anyone but to try and keep the peace. Intentional harm to citizens is considered police brutality and can escalate into something more serious such as riots and protests. The kind of misconduct that some police take when arresting a suspect cannot be taken lightly to prevent any sort of riots or protests such as those after Rodney King as 50 people were killed and hundreds more were injured (Katel).
Police brutality has been occurring since the idea of a police officer was first brought up. Officers have found many holes through the law enforcement system. This brings upon many types of misconduct and excessive force. Unfortunately, police officers are not usually held accountable for their brutality. “The Incentive Program, or the method of police chiefs using promises of contraband going to sub-departments that lack the money in the budget, gives officers more incentive to not only plant evidence to make an entire estate contraband, but it also lets them rationalize lining their own pockets” (White).
Some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not needed, police brutality should be addressed by testing police for for racial bias, require more training, and use body cameras. Bias is the favoring of or against one thing, person or group compared with another. Most of us have bias towards certain things and a lot of people do not even know that they do. The most common people have forms of bias and that includes police officers.
While the other book used is useful for providing an account of what happened at the beginning of the decade, this book is able to look at police brutality throughout the 1990s and how the earlier events impacted the later ones. Journal Articles Matheson, Victor A., and Robert A. Baade. “Race and Riots: A Note on the Economic Impact of the Rodney King Riots.” Urban Studies, vol. 41, no. 13, 2004, pp. 2691–2696, Academic Search Premier, doi:10.1080/0042098042000294628.
In “Etiquette of Police Violence” Rion Alamar Scott talks about some of the things cops first assume to do when approaching someone of color. He then continues to tell his audience about events that have happened numerous times. Even goes into detail about the prosecution of the accused officers and how they went. Scott makes a lot of good points about how cops
An occurrence observed by the population of Los Angeles, California conveys the existence of racism and police brutality. According to The Polls-Trends: Racial Differences in Attitudes Toward the Police, “…three quarters of blacks, but only 38 percent of whites, continued to view police brutality as a common occurrence” (Tuch and Weitzer
Police brutality is a complex phenomenon, which has widespread effects on today 's society. In recent years, the police have come under serious scrutiny for police brutality, and this has been underscored by the presence of video camcorders. Accompanying this issue, I will provide several examples and recent cases, as well as the related decision making process. Similar emphasis shall be placed upon the understanding, role, and participation of the individual in public policy making. To begin with, I should like to first offer my understanding of police brutality, and as well, as it is expressed in the literature.
The rise in violent conflicts between the citizens of the United States and the police is the issue that I want to solve. Due to my own age, race and gender, I am very well aware that I may be personally and directly impacted by this issue. The interaction between people of color and law enforcement in America is a key aspect of this larger issue. This issue has two main viewpoints: (1) that of people of color and, (2) that of law enforcement. While these two viewpoints overlap and intersect at several points, I believe them to be separate problems, each caused by different things.
Police officer’s reputations are reduced and they lose the public’s trust as protectors. Specifically, society talks about the act of a white police officer savagely attacking a black citizen. The black population was enraged by this act and formed activist movements to prevent any police brutality brought upon them. As the controversy rise, society starts picking a side to defend. In this case, the nation is split into two sides.
The reason as to why police brutality is unethical is simple. It kills a lot of people and is not necessary. However, what are the reasons as to why police brutality has become such a problem in the United States? One can argue the police officers take advantage of how much authority their occupation comprises of. If a cop shoots and murders a person, they claim that they were using self-defense or some other kind of excuse.
Police brutality is when a police officer uses any type of force on someone that exceeds the necessary amount to accomplish a lawful police purpose. The force doesn’t have to just be physical, it can also be physiological harm through intimidation tactics. So in simpler terms, police brutality is when a police officer uses more force then what they should use to stop a person or animal. There is some ways that we can help prevent police brutality, one of the ways we can help prevent it is by giving police better training in a nonviolent way. This is especially important when dealing with violent animals.
Police Brutality is an ongoing problem and existent concern in the United States and should be resolved immediately. Law enforcement must function as an element that consists of organized and civilized officers. The presence of police brutality is becoming more of an issue as society grows. The problem posed by the illegal exercise of police power is an ongoing reality for individuals of a disfavored race, class, or sexual orientation. Police brutality must be stopped so that police do not forget who they are serving – not themselves, but the public.