Origanalist
08-15-2016, 03:25 PM
http://www.activistpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/body-cam.jpg
By Claire Bernish
Police body-worn cameras have taken center stage in the effort to promote accountability for controversial uses of lethal and nonlethal force — and while controversy over their misuse and malfunction rages, a startling new study suggests body cams, themselves, only increase the likelihood officers will employ deadly force.
Min Seok-Pang and Paul A. Pavlou of Temple University’s Fox School of Business, who research “the impact of information technology on organizations,” according to the Wall Street Journal, found that, in essence, calls to mandate police use of body cams could be counter-productive to reducing officer violence.
According to the researchers:
Surprisingly, we found that the use of wearable video cameras is associated with a 3.64% increase in shooting-deaths of civilians by police. We explain that video recordings collected during a violent encounter with a civilian can be used in favor of a police officer as evidence that justifies the shooting. Aware of this evidence, the officer may become less reluctant to engage in the use of deadly force.
Additionally, they found body cams associated with a greater increase in fatal shootings of African Americans and Hispanics than of Asians and whites.
No such increase in deadly force occurred in 2013 and 2014 — the years the devices first came into use — because, as they posit, “It could take a while for police officers to realize how helpful evidence from body cameras could be in justifying the lethal use of force.”
Interestingly, though the study found an increase in lethal use of force associated with body cams, police use of smartphones and onboard laptops to obtain intelligence like crime statistics and suspect information had the opposite effect. As they explain, “the use of smartphones by officers for intelligence access is related to 2.72% fewer deadly shootings.”
To analyze the effect of technology on police use of force, researchers compiled civilian deaths by police from the Washington Post, which conservatively recorded 986 deaths in 2015, and those from killedbypolice.net for 2013 and 2014, as well as statistics on police use of technology from the Law Enforcement Management and Administration Survey published by the Department of Justice.
Their findings of the correlation of increased police deadly force with body camera use — though counter-intuitive — makes perfect sense on closer inspection.
On May 1, 2015, the DOJ announced $20 million would be allotted to expedite the use of police body-worn cameras — part of President Obama’s three-year, $75 million plan to outfit 50,000 officers with the technology.
“This body-worn camera pilot program is a vital part of the Justice Department’s comprehensive efforts to equip law enforcement agencies throughout the country with tools, support, and training they need to tackle the 21st century challenges we face,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch at the time. “Body-worn cameras hold tremendous promise for enhancing transparency, promoting accountability, and advancing public safety for law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.”
Bureau of Justice Assistance Director Denise O’Donnell added, “Body-worn camera technology is a valuable tool for improving police-citizen relationships.”
Though the researchers didn’t extend their theory further, it could easily be surmised the continued lack of accountability for lethal police force, even in questionable circumstances captured by body cam video has worked to embolden police.
continued..http://www.activistpost.com/2016/08/disturbing-study-links-body-cams-increase-fatal-police-shootings.html
By Claire Bernish
Police body-worn cameras have taken center stage in the effort to promote accountability for controversial uses of lethal and nonlethal force — and while controversy over their misuse and malfunction rages, a startling new study suggests body cams, themselves, only increase the likelihood officers will employ deadly force.
Min Seok-Pang and Paul A. Pavlou of Temple University’s Fox School of Business, who research “the impact of information technology on organizations,” according to the Wall Street Journal, found that, in essence, calls to mandate police use of body cams could be counter-productive to reducing officer violence.
According to the researchers:
Surprisingly, we found that the use of wearable video cameras is associated with a 3.64% increase in shooting-deaths of civilians by police. We explain that video recordings collected during a violent encounter with a civilian can be used in favor of a police officer as evidence that justifies the shooting. Aware of this evidence, the officer may become less reluctant to engage in the use of deadly force.
Additionally, they found body cams associated with a greater increase in fatal shootings of African Americans and Hispanics than of Asians and whites.
No such increase in deadly force occurred in 2013 and 2014 — the years the devices first came into use — because, as they posit, “It could take a while for police officers to realize how helpful evidence from body cameras could be in justifying the lethal use of force.”
Interestingly, though the study found an increase in lethal use of force associated with body cams, police use of smartphones and onboard laptops to obtain intelligence like crime statistics and suspect information had the opposite effect. As they explain, “the use of smartphones by officers for intelligence access is related to 2.72% fewer deadly shootings.”
To analyze the effect of technology on police use of force, researchers compiled civilian deaths by police from the Washington Post, which conservatively recorded 986 deaths in 2015, and those from killedbypolice.net for 2013 and 2014, as well as statistics on police use of technology from the Law Enforcement Management and Administration Survey published by the Department of Justice.
Their findings of the correlation of increased police deadly force with body camera use — though counter-intuitive — makes perfect sense on closer inspection.
On May 1, 2015, the DOJ announced $20 million would be allotted to expedite the use of police body-worn cameras — part of President Obama’s three-year, $75 million plan to outfit 50,000 officers with the technology.
“This body-worn camera pilot program is a vital part of the Justice Department’s comprehensive efforts to equip law enforcement agencies throughout the country with tools, support, and training they need to tackle the 21st century challenges we face,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch at the time. “Body-worn cameras hold tremendous promise for enhancing transparency, promoting accountability, and advancing public safety for law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.”
Bureau of Justice Assistance Director Denise O’Donnell added, “Body-worn camera technology is a valuable tool for improving police-citizen relationships.”
Though the researchers didn’t extend their theory further, it could easily be surmised the continued lack of accountability for lethal police force, even in questionable circumstances captured by body cam video has worked to embolden police.
continued..http://www.activistpost.com/2016/08/disturbing-study-links-body-cams-increase-fatal-police-shootings.html