Police use of force and neighbourhood characteristics: an examination of structural disadvantage, crime, and resistance

Kim M. Lersch; Thomas Bazley; Thomas Mieczkowski; Kristina Childs

doi:10.1080/10439460802091690

Police use of force and neighbourhood characteristics: an examination of structural disadvantage, crime, and resistance

Kim M. Lersch, Thomas Bazley, Thomas Mieczkowski, Kristina Childs

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Abstract

This study examines relationships between the force levels applied by police officers and the characteristics of the neighbourhoods where these events occurred. The data upon which this study is based was drawn from a municipal police department in the southern USA for the year 2000. Information from the official Use of Force reports was linked to census block data and crime tract data, thus providing an opportunity to investigate whether severity of force varies with neighbourhood demographic characteristics. These characteristics include race/ethnicity, family composition, residential turnover, crime levels, and neighbourhood levels of active physical resistance. When controlling for the number of incidents of active physical resistance that occurred in a neighbourhood, only this variable and the racial composition of the neighbourhood remained consistent significant predictors of police use of force.

Original language	American English
Journal	Policing & Society
Volume	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10439460802091690
State	Published - Jan 1 2008

Keywords

use of force
neighbourhoods
threat hypothesis
minorities
structural disadvantage

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https://doi.org/10.1080/10439460802091690

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title = "Police use of force and neighbourhood characteristics: an examination of structural disadvantage, crime, and resistance",

abstract = " This study examines relationships between the force levels applied by police officers and the characteristics of the neighbourhoods where these events occurred. The data upon which this study is based was drawn from a municipal police department in the southern USA for the year 2000. Information from the official Use of Force reports was linked to census block data and crime tract data, thus providing an opportunity to investigate whether severity of force varies with neighbourhood demographic characteristics. These characteristics include race/ethnicity, family composition, residential turnover, crime levels, and neighbourhood levels of active physical resistance. When controlling for the number of incidents of active physical resistance that occurred in a neighbourhood, only this variable and the racial composition of the neighbourhood remained consistent significant predictors of police use of force.",

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N2 - This study examines relationships between the force levels applied by police officers and the characteristics of the neighbourhoods where these events occurred. The data upon which this study is based was drawn from a municipal police department in the southern USA for the year 2000. Information from the official Use of Force reports was linked to census block data and crime tract data, thus providing an opportunity to investigate whether severity of force varies with neighbourhood demographic characteristics. These characteristics include race/ethnicity, family composition, residential turnover, crime levels, and neighbourhood levels of active physical resistance. When controlling for the number of incidents of active physical resistance that occurred in a neighbourhood, only this variable and the racial composition of the neighbourhood remained consistent significant predictors of police use of force.

AB - This study examines relationships between the force levels applied by police officers and the characteristics of the neighbourhoods where these events occurred. The data upon which this study is based was drawn from a municipal police department in the southern USA for the year 2000. Information from the official Use of Force reports was linked to census block data and crime tract data, thus providing an opportunity to investigate whether severity of force varies with neighbourhood demographic characteristics. These characteristics include race/ethnicity, family composition, residential turnover, crime levels, and neighbourhood levels of active physical resistance. When controlling for the number of incidents of active physical resistance that occurred in a neighbourhood, only this variable and the racial composition of the neighbourhood remained consistent significant predictors of police use of force.

KW - use of force

KW - neighbourhoods

KW - threat hypothesis

KW - minorities

KW - structural disadvantage

UR - https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/si_facpub/586

UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/10439460802091690

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DO - 10.1080/10439460802091690

M3 - Article

VL - 18

JO - Policing & Society

JF - Policing & Society

ER -

Police use of force and neighbourhood characteristics: an examination of structural disadvantage, crime, and resistance

Abstract

Keywords

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