For the past 25 years in Chicago, an average of one child has been killed per week (Ansari, 1), but the violence does not stop with children. In 2016 alone, there were, “762 murders, 3,550 shooting incidents, and 4,331 shooting victims” (Caputo, 2). While the murder rate has remained exceedingly high over the decades, and spiked in recent years, the willingness of witnesses to provide police with information remains at an all-time low, and approximately 80% of all cases have no workable leads (Shaper, 2). Which begs the question, “Why will no one help put away the perpetrators?” Theorists, and especially the police, explain that witnesses of crimes pretend they see nothing because of the culture of “do not snitch” (Simon, Exploring). …show more content…
Citizens also believe cops do not care to protect the inner city or minorities and only serve to protect the dominant white society. In response, street culture adapted and people started taking matters into their own hands. Therefore, street rules may add to the broken relationship between community and police, but they are not the cause.
In Chicago, there is also a general lack of trust for the police caused by a history of police brutality towards citizens, especially towards African American community members. From 2010 till 2015, approximately four out of five people shot by Chicago police were African American males (Richards). One profound example of police targeting and abusing African Americans is the case of Jon Burge. Officer Burge and his slew of underlings tortured over 100 African American men from 1972 till 1991 using tactics such as ‘electric shock, mock executions, and brutal attacks on the genitals’ (Cox). “He [Burge] was sentenced to the maximum of four and a half years […] a stark contrast to his victims, many of whom received death sentences or life in prison on the basis of confessions that were tortured from them” (Taylor, 3). Burge serves as a blatant, bigoted example of why minorities feel targeted and abused by predominantly white officers and contributes to the floundering relationship between the Chicago Police and the people they ‘protect’. With such a historically negative relationship, it comes as no surprise
Just this April, the city’s Police Accountability Task Force found that the Chicago Police Department has “no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color.” Chicago’s population is 31.7% white, 32.9% Black, 28.9% Latino, and 5.5% Asian. However, the Task Force reported that the city’s police officers shoot Black residents at significantly disproportionate rates. Between 2008 and 2015, of all people injured or killed in police-related shootings, 74% were Black, 14% were Hispanic, 8% were white and less than 1% were Asian. The report found almost identical numbers when it came to statistics regarding the use of Tasers. The report also analyzed all people stopped by police during the summer of 2014 and found they were 72% Black,
CHICAGO- Since our social media has been shedding more and more light on police brutality, the kind people of the Windy City shared their feelings and experiences about their unkind law enforcement. Those feelings and experiences shared were negative, and expressed with fear and dissatisfaction. These same feelings that have persisted throughout the years and especially today. These Chicagoans also express their agreement with Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Amanuel, and his idea of recruiting more minorities for law enforcement.
We often trust police officers to protect our homes and our loved ones, but what if the officers we trust can actually harm our loved ones? Over the past few years, unjustified shootings, rough treatments, and severe beatings have been on and off on our tv screens and on our phones. We hear various stories especially from minorities about their unforgettable encounters with police officers who hurt and accused them. According to CopCrisis, almost 3,000 Americans have died over the past three years. One of the relevant factors why this issue keeps happening is racial discrimination. Police officers have been discriminating and accusing minorities over the littlest offenses like selling DVDs outside supermarkets or
Politically, in the article “The Racial Reality of Policing,” Conlon who served in the New York Police Department explains why the right wing politics insists that the police should not be blamed for the practice of racial profiling for crimes because it is in line with the higher crime rates and not the leading cause of death among the black men. Conlon believes that even though “police bias and misconduct are serious problems,” the public ignore one thing that the death among young black men in the U.S. is largely due to homicide by their peers. Rhetorically speaking, Conlon, as a former police, presents solid reasons, credible evidence, multiple viewpoints, and vivid examples to convince the readers successfully that the public should not ascribe a large number of the death among black
Chapter 4 in The Color of Justice: Race, ethnicity, and crime in America, was about the relations between society and law enforcement officers. This has been a major topic, especially in the United States for a long time. The unfortunate statistic that minorities are more likely to encounter being killed, arrested, and victimized by excessive physical force; has been a real issue even in today’s society. However, police departments are trying to combat the way police officers interact with the community; especially those of color. Although steps have been takes there are still some instances where police aggression happens. With all of the issues that arise between certain minority populated community’s police it is evident that conflict
Brent Staples’ essay, “When the Paranoids Turn Out to be Right,” acknowledges the issues of racism and racial profiling committed by police. In “Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun,” Geoffrey Canada also expresses views on this issue when he asserts that police fail to protect and serve individuals in poor neighborhoods. Staples contends, “Among the day-to-day acts of discrimination that shadow African Americans, none are more stressful or dangerous than those committed by police, some of whom treat black people as criminals until proved otherwise.” (Staples. 380) Although statistics show that the looming presence of narcotics and violence is more prevalent in urban neighborhoods, police should apply the same effort to protect individuals in these
One of the most polarizing policy issues in the United States is the process of using race, ethnicity, and/or national origin by law enforcement as a chief predictor of criminal behavior. In the presence of social media and modern technological innovation, there has been increased documentation on the very problematic ways in which police officers use their position of authority against minorities. The countless cases of murder and police brutality have prompted national dialogue regarding to what extent race should be used in methods of policing. Against a troubled backdrop of incessant clashes with minorities and law enforcement, navigating the situation requires a degree of care that does not diminish the
Many black communities throughout the U.S. have a complete lack of trust in law enforcement due to the dangers of being profiled, and this lack of trust is mainly active in the poor black communities. Many of the individuals of black communities feel this type of distrust because when police are present in these communities, they are viewed as an “occupying force coming in from the outside to rule and control the community” (Washington). More times than not racial profiling has often led to police brutality, all the more reason why there is no trust between those that reside in black communities, and police officers.
The brutality of the police force has been a long worldwide problem, but especially between the years of 2012-2016. Black people are being unjustly beaten and shot in plain sight for doing nothing while being unarmed. Journal of African American Studies “Blacks are viewed as deserving of harsh treatment in the criminal justice system” (482). “Black males with more “Afrocentric” features may receive longer sentences than blacks with less Afrocentric features like lighter skin and straighter hair”(482). Nowadays it is important to know about the police force. It’s important to know our rights as citizens and be careful around cops. Not everybody is good, but not everybody is bad also. In The New York Amsterdam News 21 people were killed by Chicago police in 2008. Entire families were being attacked. They believe it’s because of their skin color and how they are different. The year of racism started off with the world seeing the police murder of Oscar Grant. “The media have pushed people away from hearing the issue of police brutality, and it has fallen off of the radar screen.”(2) “You can’t give in. They will try to make an example out of you, try to break your spirit!”(2) African Americans say do not trust the cops with anything. “They will ruin you.”(2)
Police shootings of young Black males that ultimately result in their death have become an all-too-common occurrence in this country. The deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Gardner have highlighted police relations with this population. Before viable solutions can be established, a number of areas need to be addressed that relate to the historical context in which police relations with this group exist that impact current relations between the police and young Black males, why their lives are seemingly given less value by society than those of their White counterparts, the role that spirituality and religiosity play that may help to make connections between them and the police, and the benefit of the Black church in fostering amicable police relations with young Black males.
There is no question that police brutality, when it occurs, is one of the most egregious violations of public trust that a public servant can commit. Police officers, those individuals taxed with protecting the public from danger, should never be in a situation where they pose a threat to the public. Furthermore, there is no question that police brutality occurs. Moreover, generally when there are allegations of police brutality, there has been some type of underlying violent incident. In addition, while issues of brutality may seem clear-cut to a disinterested observer, it is critical to keep in mind that law enforcement officers are not presented with textbook examples of the appropriate or inappropriate use of force, but real-life scenarios involving quick decisions. There are many arrest and non-arrest scenarios where officers need to use force to protect self or others; and the degree of force required may be greater than what a disinterested observer would assume. Another recurrent issue in debates about police brutality is that racial bias appears to be a motive behind police brutality. When one considers that minorities are disproportionately likely to be arrested and convicted of crimes, one would expect to find a disproportionate number of minorities among those alleging police brutality. Therefore, while acknowledging that police brutality, when it occurs, is a serious problem, the reality is that most
Since the creation of the first organized police force problems have occurred that have created a mixture of suspicion and hostility by minorities within the United States. The police have found their selves drawn into racial struggles in American history, moments like suppression of African American riots in the 1930s and 1940s and clashes with civil rights activists in the 1960s damaged police and minority relations leaving many communities to believe that police only had interest in white communities. Persistent accusations of racial profiling and police harassment has also done an incredible amount of damage to police-minority relationships where generations of minorities are complaining about being treated more harshly. Minorities are searched, handcuffed, and arrested more during traffic stops than whites and they are victimized more for violent crimes and thefts (Rennison, 2001). With all of this evidence
Police brutality is not a new subject. It has been around for numerous years, and like most issues, has resurfaced to the public’s eyes. The recent events brought up the question: Does there need to be a reform in the system in the police system? In this year alone, there have been countless cases of individuals being harmed or even killed by police officers for reasons that continuously are not explained. What has people more attentive to this injustice are statistics showing that most victims in these police attacks happen to be African Americans and other minorities.
This year, the American police have already killed more than 500 people. Of those, 25% have been Black, even though Black people make up only 13% of the population. Last week in Louisiana, two White police officers killed a Black man named Alton Sterling while he sold CDs on the street. The very next day in Minnesota, a police officer shot and killed a Black man named Philando Castile in his car during a traffic stop while his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter watched. Overwhelmingly, the police do not face any consequences for ending these lives. Our community knows these tragedies, too. Anthony Nunez, Melissa Ventura, Pedro Villanueva and Alex Nieto were all killed by police officers, though none of it was caught on film.
Throughout the last one hundred and fifty years, there has been a history of tension and conflict between the police and minority communities in the United States. In principle, the police exist to enforce the law and protect all citizens regardless of race or ethnic background, yet police departments across the country have been repeatedly accused of targeting and harassing racial minorities, and of failing to root out racist attitudes and practices within their ranks. In recent years, high profile cases such as the beating of Rodney King in Los Angles and the assault on Abner Louima in New York have only served to heighten concerns over the mistreatment of minorities by the police, resulting in widespread calls for major legal and institutional reforms. The recent shootings of Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Eric Garner, and Terrance Crutcher underscore the danger Black men and boys face when they cross paths with law enforcement officers. In the absence of a coordinated national strategy, state and local police departments have largely been left to develop their own solutions to the problems of policing minority communities and improving cultural sensitivity amongst their officers. Many departments have sought to reform recruitment and selection policies in the hope of attracting greater numbers of minority applicants, while others have instituted diversity training and education programs aimed at improving police understanding of minority cultures and communities. To date, however, these efforts have yielded mixed results. Some departments have achieved notable successes, but on the whole, relations between the police and minority communities across the country remain strained. of cultural diversity and the police.