The topic for my final paper will be focused on police brutality. I will be using the analytical concept of structural violence to explore how the police legitimize violence against African Americans in the United States of America. I will be using different case studies to illustrate how the police abuse their power and authority to discriminate against a certain race. In addition, the police try to legitimize the violence by claiming the victim to be a ‘threat’. This in turn validates the brutality caused by the police. I will also be discussing how the media uses various strategies of symbolic communication to create images and mobilize meanings, which legitimize police violence. Additionally, I will be exploring how the media dehumanizes
The Police Department was established to control order and promote good conduct for the civilians in their community. Since the beginning, the police department has been scrutinizing for taking the law into their own hand to restore order. In most cases the individuals affected by brutality is the minorities. Even though the people are happy with the police present in their community, one incident can change the way the community feels towards the Police. Consequently, the higher the crime rate in your community, the likely hood you will suffer from police brutality. Studies have shown that police brutality is and will be a part of your community. In some cases, the officer or officers will be acquitted of
Police brutality within North America has created a divide within its population. Being a minority living in North America, I have seen what life is like for those who experience the effects of Police brutality. Whether it’s my Dad, Mom, Sister, or Brothers, we’ve all been a witness/or effected by the actions of Police brutality. Police brutality has created a divide between North American minorities and majorities. Therefore, this divide will also create a divide within the economy and different classes living within North America. Police brutality is perceived to take place where there is a high density of minorities, and is often carried out by a white male. Police know they are given power by the Government/Country, and therefore have the
In America, police brutality is on the rise. 1297 Americans in 2014, 1307 in 2015, and 506 this year have died due to police brutality (Police Brutality Statistics). African American individuals are three times more likely to be killed in comparison to a white individual (Mapping Police Violence) . This issue has targeted black individuals because of their race. It has reached a point where many cops are not charged or convicted for their violence towards black individuals.
Police brutality is an epidemic in America that has not subsided despite numerous attempts to ensure that officers will be held accountable. Many calls for reform have been discussed, but unfortunately, nothing substantial has been done. In the first six months of 2017 alone, 492 citizens were shot and killed by police officers (Jenkins.) “These numbers show us that officer-involved shootings are constant over time,” Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina criminologist said to The Washington Post. “Some places go up, some go down, but it’s averaging out. This is our society in the 21st century,” (Jenkins.) It is profoundly difficult to say what could be done to make sure law enforcement are held properly accountable for their brutality.
“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened” (John F. Kennedy). Police Brutality is a violation to the Federal Civil Rights Act. If cruelly beaten, kicked, and thrown by a person who is supposed to ensure the law, will you then trust them afterwards? Will your rights be valid then? Officers wear the badge and uniform which will make them feel superior making them think the law is in their hands and can twist and change it as they please. Jessica Watson-Crosby comments on the police brutality history and says, from the point of view of its victims, police were seen as protecting the upper classes. Police violence only came under scrutiny when “decent” people became victims, usually accidentally. As you see the chaos created by officers has been in the United States for a long time and has worsened over time. “Police are guaranteed a steady living. Unlike other workers , they typically are not threatened by layoffs or pay cuts” (Watson-Crosby). All who did not give their opinion over the authority were left unharmed and for the ones who spoke to let their rights be known were not as lucky. “Many police see themselves as part of the upper classes “the enforcers of social value” even while the upper classes see them as ignorant brutes. As a rule, the upper
Here in the year 2014, racism is till very obvious to everyone’s eyes. Minorities aren’t treated well in restaurants, they are given fewer choices than white people with the same background, and they also are still the last ones to be chosen on the playground or in gym class when picking teams for dodge ball. No one is born racist. It is something that is taught through cultural transmission, just like language. Slavery was abolished in 1865 under Abraham Lincoln, which was only several generations ago, but the hatred that some older white folks have for African Americans is still unreasonably alive. How might the events that have recently occurred in Ferguson, Missouri affect how racism plays such a dominant role in today’s society involving
In today society, police brutality is seen in many news media. You cannot go on social media or television without seeing a police officer shooting an unarmed African American male for very little reason. Recently twenty-three years old Stephon Clark was shot by Sacramento office officers in the back for allegedly resisting arrest for breaking windows. When comes to police brutality, African Americans is the fore front of this topic. This topic called police brutality goes back to the slave patrol when the patrollers will monitor the slaves and the slave owners to make sure that the slaves will get the punishment for staying out of order. As Black America knows, this problem has been embedded in our community and in America for over 200 years, while white America is till hearing about it. However, that not one of the biggest problem with this issue. The issue is when African American women like myself or male will stop seeing cops getting away for murder or assault. When I am going to stop seeing my people rioting and show the criminal justice how angry we are with this racial systematic practice.
Over the years there have been a large number of police brutality incidences reported in the United States. Unfortunately, there have been a large number of cases where the law enforcement officers have been at fault, but in turn, there have also been cases where the law enforcement officers have been falsely accused. In order to increase the public’s faith and trust in law enforcement, footage needs to be made available to, not only the press, but also the public eye with body cameras. Not only will these body cameras help prevent violence, but it will also show positive footage of good working law enforcement officers, and also hold law enforcement officers liable for their unjustified actions by being recorded.
Over the past few years, the citizens of the Unites States have been witnesses of many cases of police brutality. Police officers are faced with a lot of threatening situations every day. And sadly, the police have to rely on their instincts and hope for the best. They have the power to take anyone’s civil rights away and possibly even their own life. You must have responsibility in order to retain that kind of power. Much less, that much power. The use of excessive force may or may not be a big problem, but I think it should be viewed from everyone’s perspectives. Police brutality falls in the category of the double-standard, whereas police officers are supposed to protect this world from harm and stress, not cause more of it. They should
It feels as if nothing has changed about police brutality over the years. The usual cycle is that juries acquit the police, cops get their jobs back, and brutality happens again. One of the most broadcasted cases of police brutality, was the beating of Rodney King. On the night of March 2, 1991, a bystander named George Holiday, videotaped the moment when five officers used excess force on an African American man named Rodney King, beating him with batons as he struggled on the ground. Also, it was recorded that an officer stomped on King’s shoulder causing his head to hit hard against the asphalt. Holiday sent the videotape to a local TV station and soon sent shock waves around the world, catapulting police brutality and race relations in the United States to center stage. Most viewers who watched the tape revealed the brutal and senseless beating of a hopeless drunk. After debating for seven days over the fate of the officers, on April 29, 1992, the clerk announced the final verdict, the five officers were not guilty.
Recently police have come under fire for the deaths of many unarmed African American males. This has broken the trust between civilians and police and torn our country apart. People are frustrated about the killings of unarmed citizens and how it seems every officer can get away with killing an unarmed suspect. Back in 1994 a law was passed that required the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to record date on police involved shooting and deaths by police officers. Except where are the numbers that would show there is an increase in unarmed African American deaths from police officers?
Police brutality is the use of excessive force when dealing with civilians. Police abuse is one of the most serious human rights violations in the United States. It has been around for decades, which leads us to the thought “Are they keeping us safe from danger or are they the danger?” There are many cases of police using excessive force. Unjustified shootings, severe beatings, tasings, and rough treatment have all contributed to the problem of police brutality in America. According to “MINTpress News”, seven hundred and seventy-six people were killed by the police in 2015. One hundred and sixty-one of the people were unarmed at the time of their death. The leading causes of police brutality are minorities being unfairly targeted, excessive force, police being increasingly militarized, and many departments not providing adequate training in nonviolent solutions.
When you think of the police, your opinion may vary. Let me ask you a question about our police force. But keep this in mind, in October 2015 alone, there was 81 deaths by the police. With that being said, who’s to protect us from whose protecting the block? I don 't care who you are, you have to be able to realize nowadays that the police brutality is getting out of hand, that the power surge is growing and growing. Look around, there 's an increase of civilians death via cops, an increase of reports of police wrongdoing, and an increase of more officers standing trial for a case relating to police brutality.
Justice has become nothing more than a word in American society. Badges allow militarized police officers to brutalize and kill unarmed citizens. Police brutality is not a new issue, it first appeared in 1872 when the Chicago Tribune reported the beating of a civilian by a police officer. Although police brutality has been present for decades, the severity has tremendously increased in the past twenty years. It is critical for citizens to become aware of the growing statistics and casualties of the epidemic. By educating Americans on the problem, it may lead to preventing further incidents.
Isn’t our police force supposed to serve and protect us? To me it seems as though a lot of them have been taking advantage of their power and taking advantage of American citizens. For whatever reason our police seem to be doing things backwards from every other police system in the world. For example our cops do not stand out to the public where as in Europe and Asia’s police are bright yellow with checkered patterns, in order to allow the public to easily notice them and have the ability to call out to them for help when they’re needed. However our police likes to stay hidden and undercover from its citizen, and for what reason? Why are they hiding from us, they sneak around to try and get us in trouble for things that aren’t even a problem in most cases, like minor speeding tickets. They do this to meet their quotas. But that’s not where it stops. Police brutality is not something that’s suddenly uprising; it’s been around for a very long time. however recently it has been brought to headliners and gained the attention of hundreds of Americans due to the more drastic story’s that have been happening lately. Unfortunately a lot of these stories center around racism that still exists these days and not all cases of police brutality are caused from racism, but a majority of them are and there’s no denying that.