The Controversy Of Police Handling And Media Coverage

The police and the media have been very closely related to one another for a very long time and they will always have to have a relationship with them. They are so closely related because crime itself is considered news that is valuable to the people of a community. Without the media and law enforcement working together, many people would not know what was going on and/or how to act about certain crimes if there are any within their communities. With that in mind, law enforcement must keep up with all the advancing technologies that involve any kind of media. This includes social media, print, internet, television, and cell phones as well. Keeping up with all these different media platforms, working together with the media, and staying on

In recent years and in light of recent tragedies, police actions, specifically police brutality, has come into view of a large, public and rather critical eye. The power to take life rests in the final stage of the criminal justice system. However, the controversy lies where due process does not. While the use of deadly force is defined and limited by departmental policies, it remains an act guided chiefly by the judgment of individual officers in pressure situations. (Goldkamp 1976, 169). Many current studies have emphasized the racial disparities in minority deaths, primarily black Americans, killed by police through means of deadly force. The history of occurrences reveals the forlorn truth that police reforms only receive attention in wake of highly publicized episodes of police misconduct. The notorious 1992 Los Angeles riots brought the matter to mass public attention and prompted improved law enforcement policy. Significant local reforms resulted, for instance, ending the policy of lifetime terms for police chiefs. Additionally, on a broader platform, in 1994, Congress approved provisions to the Crime Control Act in effort to tackle police abuse in a more structured way.

In a nation that prides itself on protecting the rights of all citizens, one right is under a blistering attack. According to the second amendment the “right to bear arms shall not be infringed” but in every corner of America that right is getting closer and closer to disappearing. In the news, Americans only hear of the guns that kill, they don’t hear of the guns that save. The fact of the matter is, the right to carry concealed weapons has saved lives.

The perception of excessive force has been intensely debated for the last few decades. With continuous public defiance increasing, instances of police brutality are rising at an exponential rate. However, the accessibility to social media has greatly increased as well, therefore, causing us to become more aware of such situations. With that considered, the increased amount of police beatings is far less than what may be perceived. Frequently occurrences of police brutality are brought to our attention through the media. Often times, broadcasting very graphic, and sometimes unlawful situations. Several people may say that discrimination against particular ethnicities may be the main cause of this recent influx. Though, others may believe that subsequent social disparities towards specific ethnicities may cause frustration, consequently, causing law enforcement officers to use unnecessary excessive force, more frequently.

The purpose of my proposed research is to study the effect of media reports on the current Americans’ perceptions of police brutality. Police brutality has been a headline topic for debate for the past century. This topic’s popularity has grown recently due to advancements in media technology over the past two decades. Police brutality is a problem in the United States for both, citizens and police officers. It is important to study the effect that mass media coverage of police use of force has on Americans’ perceptions to find out if the initial coverage of these events creates a bias in them. It has been found that celebrated crime events are portrayed differently than normal crime reports on the news;

What do most people think of the topic of police brutality? More than once, images and stories of minorities ' civil rights being taken away become the topic of conversation. It is heart wrenching to see these videos and hear these stories of police brutality in today’s media. Every day there seems to be another headlining case on the topic of police brutality. Police brutality isn’t just law enforcement officers abusing the power granted to them; however, it is a much larger issue than we originally thought. Police brutality is innocent lives lost, suffering and mourning families, civilian riots and unjust court systems. Police brutality is victims left beaten, shot, strangled and even burned to death on the streets. What was thought to be just a problem of the past is now a part of our horrifying present.

I am writing my paper on police double standard. It came to my attention that when police are in the media, they are portrayed as the bad guy. I asked myself if that is the case, or is that the media perception. The police are in a position to protect and serve the community. The community should feel nothing but security and trust towards a police officer right? I am also aware that the media can also mislead and also contribute to the community feeling negative towards the cops. Very rarely do you see a cop doing an act of kindness, and that footage blowing up in the media.

Throughout the recent years many incidents have occurred between citizens and law enforcement agents that has brought light to police brutality. The media has played the biggest role by focusing mainly on negative actions that law enforcement agents take rather than the positive ones. Law enforcement agents across the country have received a bad name and continue to receive negative backlash for the many incidents that have occurred. No not every officer is perfect and yes there are bad apples, however because the media has focused on the negativity, people across our country are quick to jump to conclusion when they see or hear what is in the media. Although most incidents may seem similar in the media, in light of the fact that they involve officers shooting “innocent victims”, every incident and case is different and the media does not always show or tell both sides of the story. In this paper I will be investigating two incidents that have occurred in the past year regarding black suspects being shot and killed by white police officers. One case happened in South Carolina and the other in Illinois. After investigating and finding facts I will then compare both cases to the Supreme Court case: Tennessee v. Garner 1985, and determine what case is the most alike to it and why.

Nowadays, it is difficult to watch or read the news without mention of police violence against black men or the rioting done in retaliation. Charles Blow, in his article, “Police Violence: American Epidemic, American Consent,” published in the New York Times, argues the root cause of this brutality stems from historical racism that is still prevalent in today’s society; that everyone is responsible for these violent responses. Blow responds to recent police shootings and riots, addressing the reason behind the current events in hopes of informing the general public of their responsibility and influence in the situation. Blow emphasizes his claim by appealing to pathos, utilizing repetition and metaphors throughout the text, as well as strategically

the rally felt the same way as Sifflet. The New York Times (2016), illustrates on Mr. Thompson was one of the police officers who was killed. He joined the Marines and, after returning from deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq he became a police officer. Hundreds of officers came from across the country to pay tribute to all police officers who passed away. Mr. Thompson’s wife, Emily, who is also a police officer, quoted “To the coward that tried to break me and my brothers and sisters, know your hate made us stronger.” The couple had married two weeks before the shooting Thompson also left behind six children from a previous marriage. Though, the children were not interviewed one can only image their pain and sorrow. Dallas officers were hurting just as much as families’ violence is never a solution to a problem. Innocent

“Football player says protests meant bring awareness to police shootings” is an article by the Associated Press, and the purpose of this article is to bring awareness about the police shootings that are occurring. The target market of the article is the public of America, anyone who wants to be involved in this problem to fight against it. The author suggests since football players are standing up to this issue, others can too.

Police brutality occurs when there is an abuse of authority and force by the police towards civilians. Police abuse is a topic that has been controversial because some argue that police should use their force while others argue the opposite. One thing that is certain is that police brutality does occur. Many wonder what leads to police abuse and a criminological theory that explains it is Edwin M. Lemerts labeling theory. According to Lemert labelling theory is a theory that argues that there are two types of deviance which are primary and secondary. These two types of deviance lead an officer to abuse of their power. A solution to stop police abuse is based on John Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming theory. Labelling theory is the most

The idea of police brutality being a major problem in the United States has many people wondering if the police are there on the streets to protect the citizens, or to abuse them. Police brutality in the United States is not the problem. “Brutality Isn’t the Problem, It’s People Who “Disrespect Our Authority” (Grigg). Many individuals in the United States have the idea that it is all right to override a police officer’s authority that’s given to them to use to enforce the laws in a justified way properly. An important rule that the people fail to recognize is the fact that when a cop tells you to do something, then better do it to avoid

Borrowing a leaf from Randolph, so long as this development does not violate the safety and reasonable rights of others, the following steps or approaches could be adopted and applied to stop or at least reduce the prevalence of racial discrimination and police brutality to the barest minimum.

Starting in the mid-1800s, there was a blast of metropolitan police offices in the United States. These early police divisions were composed around the area or ward-based political frameworks that commanded this period. It was the nearby neighborhood government official who gave initiative and oversight over a significantly decentralized arrangement of policing. Work choices inside police departments were made at the ward level, and occupations were allowed in light of an arrangement of political support. This framework compensated residents with police work in return for their reliability to the nearby ward government official who gave them the employment.