Author: Lynne Peeples
Publisher: Nature
Publication Year: 2020
Summary: The following article discusses how with recent police brutality acts, many have been fighting for the past years on the need for better data on the force used by police in the United States. The government, researchers, and media have been collecting data to better understand frequency of police violence and other factors associated with it. Black men are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by the police than a white man. The data is still limited partly due to submissions being voluntary by officers and agencies. Based on 911 calls from 2 U.S. cities, it was found that white officers in Black neighborhoods are 5 times as often firing their guns as Black officers in those same neighborhoods. The data also shows that officers fired for misconduct are frequently rehired. We are acting in the dark as for what law enforcement practices are best because of the lack of data and science. Better collection, such as documenting when force was avoided or when force was used if it was at a lower level than before, can help improve understanding and enforce regulations.