Police Brutality Research Paper

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." This famous quote by British historian Lord Acton perfectly encloses the issue of police brutality within the United States. This powerful statement highlights the fact that law enforcement agencies across the country have become increasingly militarized, leading to excessive force and aggression toward civilians. Police brutality has become a significant issue within law enforcement, resulting in racial discrimination and stereotyping of citizens and it has ranged between assault, torture, and murder. Black Americans have been killed and targeted all around the world due to the harsh treatment and discrimination of the police department. As a result of this, many believe training …show more content…
Countless reports have been documented of officers abusing their power by verbally abusing, assaulting, killing or arresting innocent civilians during routine encounters. “Police brutality is the use of unjust or excessive force by police against civilians. Some broader definitions of police brutality also encompass harassmentincluding false arrest, intimidation, and verbal abuse, among other forms of mistreatment. Police brutality in the United States has existed since the earliest days of police forces. Still, in recent decades, widespread civilian use of cell-phone video cameras and police use of body- and dashboard-mounted cameras have increased documentation of violent encounters involving police,” ("Police Brutality"). This evidence highlights the urgent need for reforms within law enforcement to address systemic issues. Numerous cases where video evidence has surfaced showing officers using excessive force during arrests. These incidents include camera footage, security footage, and bystander videos, all of which have helped bring light to police …show more content…
Police officers tend to view residents of low-income neighborhoods as inherently suspicious or dangerous, which leads to a cycle of aggression and confrontations escalating quickly and unnecessarily into violence. “Research shows that police brutality has health consequences for individuals who are victimized and that those who live in disproportionately policed communities have poor health as a direct result, regardless of whether they are victims of police brutality. But let's face it, when unarmed people die directly from police intervention and when the videos go viral, we pay more attention,” (“How to Dismantle Racism and Prevent Police Brutality"). This quote elucidates that individuals who are victims of police brutality often suffer from a range of health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD or physical injuries like head traumas. This research highlights the importance of addressing police brutality as not just a legal or social issue, but also a public health concern that impacts the lives and health of residents in poor communities. Opponents would argue that the police force was created to use brutality, torture, and impunity to control people who refuse to submit to authority and obey the law, despite the amount of training. According to NBC News, “Crime has been narrowly defined within the

Show More