thesis statement examples police brutality

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Writing Police Brutality Research Paper

Table of Contents

This is a unique type of crime as in spite of being illegal, it is still performed under the color of law. When it may sound not so serious, keep in mind that it is one of the most earnest violations of human rights.

Surely, police officers work in tough, stressful, exhausting and dangerous conditions. It happens sometimes that they need to handle the situation by force.

Nevertheless, at least once a year, we hear another loud story about a policeman who overused his authority.

What is police brutality research?

Doing a police brutality research means picking a specific question which refers to this topic and examining it. So generally you are to examine anything connected to police brutality and bias. Here are some general recommendations on how to write such research paper:

Compose a well-aimed topic

Don’t make it too narrow, or too broad. The topic which has enough information available is the most suitable. If you have trouble with it, there are some ideas for you below.

Make a research proposal on police brutality

It is the skeleton of your research paper. This is where you represent all the parts your essay consists of.

• Start with the introduction .
• Write the main body . As you will be stating different ideas, they will be divided into paragraphs, and that needs to be described in a table of contents.
• In the end, write a conclusion – it is where you make a derivation of everything you stated before without adding any new ideas.
• Finally, you may need to write references . They are every source you used for your work. Name and make them out due to your teacher’s requirements.

Try composing a catchy beginning

If the reader’s attention will be grabbed at once – it is a success for sure. You may start with a rhetorical question or a shocking fact. Maybe you’ll manage to find an appropriate anecdote.

Include a thesis statement in the introduction

This may not be obligatory, but it will give a better understanding of your work. A thesis statement is the main idea of your research work accommodated into one sentence.

To give you an example:

“Black people are more likely to experience police brutality during detention or arrest than other people.”

“Stressful environment is a prominent reason for police brutality and bias.”

Be consistent with your statements

For some topics, it is enough to just enumerate your ideas, not taking their order into account. But for some, you need to think first how you should place them. Ideally, one statement has to come out from the previous.

Search for a research paper on police brutality sample

There’s no good copying it, but you may find some useful ideas.

Most prominent police brutality research questions

If you don’t know how to compose a topic for your essay, try just picking the aspect of the problem you’re most interested in. Have difficulties formulating it or still aren’t sure with what to discover?

…here is a list of a few research topics on police brutality to help you!

• What can be done to decrease police brutality?
• Reasons for police brutality.
• Methods of prevention of police brutality in your country.
• Police duties and police brutality: where is the border?
• Racism as one of the main factors of police brutality.
• Can sexism be seen as one of the main factors of police brutality?
• Forms of the police brutality.
• How are police officers accused of brutality punished? How should they be punished in your opinion?
• Is corruption a type of police brutality?
• Police brutality in a selected country.
• Pick on a case of police brutality and examine all the reasons, consequences, punishment, and other factors.
• Police brutality during football matches.
• Is it the system that forces police officers to become brutal?
• Where are police brutality rates higher: in cities, urban, suburban, or rural territories? Why?
• In which country the highest rates of police brutality are reported? Explain why.
• Police brutality as a social problem.
• How can we measure to which extent police brutality occurred?
• Can stress be the prominent reason for police brutality?
• Are there cases when doing policeman’s duties were seen as brutality? Are there many such misunderstandings? How to different duties and brutality correctly?
• Think about a community policy that may reduce police bias. What would it be like?

The structure of research papers on police brutality

None research paper or other writing work is written as a solid text. You have to structure it not only to fit the requirements but also because it will be easier for you to control what you’re writing.

By breaking the text into paragraphs will let you feel where you begin and end your ideas. Writing a police brutality research paper outline will ease structuring it. So here is the structure for your research on police brutality:

• Introduction . Here, you introduce the reader to the topic of your work. You start with some background information, add historical view and definitions if needed. It is a good idea to imagine that the reader knows absolutely nothing on the topic and reads something about it for the first time.
• The main body . This is the main part of your research work. You state all your ideas and found information here. Don’t forget to structure it too, it needs to be divided into paragraphs. If your statements aren’t too broad, it is perfect to write one paragraph for one statement. What’s more, try to be logical and consistent with your presentation. Start the new statement only after you’ve finished the previous one.
• Conclusion . It is the inference of your work. After everything has been said, you sum it all up without adding any new information here.
• References . You may need to write a roster of the sources you’ve used for your work. Include both Internet sources and books and literature you’ve found.

In a nutshell, writing a police brutality research paper is a real challenge. The problem isn’t explored enough though it is a serious one.

Concentrate on the aspect which strikes you most, and make a little research – almost everything needed is possible to find on the Internet and libraries.

Want to complete your perfect paper on police brutality with no struggle? We know how to do that… Click the button to learn more!

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How To Write An Essay On Police Brutality

Table of Contents

• How to start
• First body paragraph
• Second body paragraph
• Third body paragraph

A good essay needs to be well structured, it should have three main parts, starting with:

• the introduction,
• and conclusion.

Topic actuality

When introducing the essay topic , the most important consideration is to attract the reader’s attention. The first part of the essay is the introduction . The introduction describes the topic of discussion  in summary using a   thesis statement . The thesis statement talks about  what the author intends to discuss. When introducing the topic, the author needs to mention how relevant is the topic and where the essay information can be used. In this case, the topic of discussion being on police brutality, the following example can be a good opening statement.

Introduction example

Police officers act as citizens protectors, police officers ensure everyone is safe by maintaining law and order. However, for the past years, many people have questioned the use of excessive force and other forms of misconducts among police officers. Even though most of them still maintain law and order, the biggest issue is the high rates of police brutality witnessed in America today.

How to write a body paragraphs

The body paragraph of an essay can be divided into three main paragraphs depending on how extensive the author wants to describe the problem.  The essay body needs to describe every detail concerning the topic of discussion.  The body also contains evidence supporting the thesis statement. In every body paragraph the first sentence should start with a topic on what the paragraph is to describe.

Body paragraph 1

The first body paragraph  should describe  police brutality, what can be considered as excessive force and laws against brutal actions. When describing police brutality, a brief definition should form the part of the first paragraph.

For example:

Police brutality can be described as the process of using physical force during arrests. Other forms of brutality can be in the form of racial profiling, police repression, false arrests and surveillance abuse.  Excessive force describes situations where police officers exceed their limits when diffusing violent incidences. Excessive force is common during military operations or when handling suspected criminals. When mentioning laws against police brutality the author can refer to the fourth amendments and eighth amendments. The fourth amendment talks about personal privacy and individual freedom versus government intrusion, especially when police arrests or searches one home and business without evidence. The eighth amendment applies to police brutality because of talks about human right violation among suspects during detention or arrest.

Body paragraph 2

In the second body paragraph, the author needs to describe what are the main causes for police brutality. In this paragraph the author can present study findings.

For example, he can state that:

Most police reform policies have little input from those who are expected to implement them. Factors like internal discipline need to be highlighted using statistics. For example, more than  51 percent of police officers are yet to face any disciplinary actions,  especially in where police brutality cases have been reported, like in New York, Fergusson, and Missouri where several killings of unarmed  teenagers have been reported.

Body Paragraph 3

In the third paragraph of the essay, the author needs to present facts, stating examples of police brutality from other states and cities with similar concerns.

For example , the author can state excessive force by the Cleveland police department to show how the culture of brutality is deeply embedded in the police force.

The final paragraph is the conclusion that summarizes the important points. A conclusion should restate the thesis statement to show the audience significance to the topic.  When concluding the essay on police brutality, the author should state how police brutality is a public issue affecting innocent individuals.  There is the need for corrective measures to be taken to portray a good picture of the police force.

Tips on final revision

After completing the first part of the essay, the author should take his mind off and relax before re-reading the paper again. The author needs to ensure that the essay arguments are logically arranged with supportive evidence. The paragraphs should be arranged in a clear sequence to enable readers to understand the main points without feeling lost.

When reviewing the essay, the author needs to look out for grammar mistakes. The author needs to review the sentence structure to ensure that the essay will make sense to the target audience.   When reviewing the research paper, the author should look out for any missing words or incomplete sentences and make adjustments before submitting the final paper. Before submitting the final paper, the author needs to ensure that the essay is structured according to the standards guidelines. After the concluding paragraph, a list of literature used in the essay need to be included for reference purposes. When quoting facts, the literature source should be cited, and all the reference literate needs to be arranged in an alphabetical order depending on the writing style one chooses to use.

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Human Rights — Police Brutality

Argumentative Essays on Police Brutality

Police brutality: exploring solutions to a complex issue, police brutality and its effect on society.

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The Link Between Police Brutality and Racism in The USA

Solutions to stop police brutality, police brutality as a human right issue in the united states, discrimination and racial profiling in police, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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The Issue of Ignoring The Problems of Prejudice, Police Brutality, and Racism

The issues of racial profiling, police brutality, and racism in the united states, police brutality: a negative effect on the black community , black lives matter - a movement to put an end on police brutality, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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The Reasons Behind Police Brutality Against African Americans

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Police brutality refers to the unjustifiable and excessive application of force by police officers towards individuals or groups. This act represents a severe manifestation of misconduct within law enforcement and constitutes a violation of civil rights.

The origins of police brutality can be traced back to the early days of law enforcement. Throughout various eras and regions, instances of excessive force and misconduct by individuals in positions of power have been well-documented. In the United States, for instance, the problem can be linked to the era of slavery and the implementation of oppressive policies like the Jim Crow laws. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s brought considerable attention to incidents of police brutality specifically targeting African Americans, leading to a strong demand for reform. The advent of video recording technology in recent years has further exposed cases of police brutality, resulting in widespread protests and calls for accountability. Ongoing efforts to address this issue emphasize the significance of fair and just policing practices to safeguard the civil rights of all individuals.

Rodney King: The beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers in 1991 became a landmark incident in the history of police brutality. The brutal assault, caught on video and widely broadcasted, sparked outrage and protests, highlighting the issue of excessive force and racial bias within law enforcement. The acquittal of the officers involved in the subsequent trial further fueled public anger and led to widespread unrest in Los Angeles. Black Lives Matter Movement: The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, founded in 2013, gained prominence following the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's killer and the subsequent killings of unarmed Black individuals such as Michael Brown and Eric Garner. BLM seeks to address systemic racism, including police brutality, and has organized numerous protests and campaigns to raise awareness about the issue and advocate for reforms in law enforcement practices. George Floyd: The tragic killing of George Floyd in May 2020 by a Minneapolis police officer, who kneeled on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes, sparked global outrage and ignited widespread protests against police brutality and racial injustice. The incident, captured on video by a bystander, brought renewed attention to the urgent need for police reform and accountability. Colin Kaepernick: In 2016, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick initiated a peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem before football games. His action sparked a nationwide debate and drew attention to the issue of police violence against Black communities, further amplifying the discourse surrounding police brutality.

1. Systemic racism 2. Lack of accountability 3. Inadequate training 4. Flawed recruitment and selection processes 5. Militarization of police

1. Loss of trust and confidence 2. Psychological and emotional impact 3. Social unrest and protests 4. Damage to community-police relations 5. Legal and financial consequences

Public opinion on the issue of police brutality is a complex and diverse landscape. While perspectives may vary, there are some prevailing sentiments and trends within public discourse. Increased awareness and accessibility to information have fueled a heightened concern about police brutality. High-profile incidents, viral videos, and social movements have shed light on the excessive use of force by law enforcement. This has led to a widespread demand for accountability and justice. Many people believe that officers should be held responsible for their actions and that there is a pressing need for systemic reforms. Racial disparities in incidents of police brutality have also garnered significant attention. Public opinion recognizes that marginalized communities, particularly Black and Brown communities, disproportionately experience police violence. This recognition has prompted calls for an end to racial profiling and biased policing. However, it is important to note that public opinion is not homogeneous. There are individuals who support law enforcement agencies and emphasize the challenging nature of police work. They argue for a balanced approach that considers the safety of officers while upholding civil liberties and protecting communities.

The topic of police brutality holds immense significance in our society as it raises critical concerns about the misuse of power, accountability, and the protection of human rights. It serves as a reminder that the very institutions entrusted with maintaining law and order can sometimes become agents of injustice and violence. By addressing police brutality, we shed light on the systemic issues that perpetuate such misconduct. This examination is vital for advocating justice, transparency, and fair treatment for all individuals, regardless of their background. It brings attention to the disproportionate impact of police violence on marginalized communities, particularly people of color, revealing the deep-rooted racial biases that persist within our criminal justice system.

The topic of police brutality is worthy of exploration and discussion in student essays for several compelling reasons. Firstly, it exposes students to pressing social issues, fostering critical thinking and engagement with topics beyond their immediate experience. It encourages them to reflect on power dynamics, social inequalities, and the responsibilities of law enforcement in a democratic society. Secondly, studying police brutality provides an opportunity to examine the complex relationship between the police and marginalized communities, particularly people of color. It prompts students to analyze historical contexts, systemic biases, and the impact of discriminatory practices. By delving into these issues, students develop empathy and gain insights into the lived experiences of others. Moreover, exploring police brutality encourages students to evaluate the role of accountability and justice within the legal system. It prompts discussions about the importance of transparent investigations, unbiased reporting, and the need for police reform.

1. According to a study by Mapping Police Violence, in 2020, there were 1,021 documented cases of police killings in the United States, with Black people being three times more likely to be victims of fatal police violence compared to white people. 2. A report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) found that excessive use of force by law enforcement officers is a leading cause of injury and death among people experiencing a mental health crisis. Approximately 25% of fatal police encounters involve individuals with mental health issues. 3. The Police Integrity Research Group conducted a survey among police officers in the United States, revealing that approximately 61% of officers witnessed misconduct by their colleagues, and 52% admitted to turning a blind eye to the inappropriate conduct of fellow officers.

1. Miller, M. (1998). Police brutality. Yale L. & Pol'y Rev., 17, 149. (https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/yalpr17&div=8&id=&page=) 2. Reiss, A. J. (1972). Police Brutality?. In Readings in Criminology and Penology (pp. 456-476). Columbia University Press. (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/dres92534-051/html) 3. Crenshaw, K. W., Ritchie, A. J., Anspach, R., Gilmer, R., & Harris, L. (2015). Say her name: Resisting police brutality against black women. (https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/3226/) 4. Reynolds-Stenson, H. (2018). Protesting the police: Anti-police brutality claims as a predictor of police repression of protest. Social movement studies, 17(1), 48-63. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14742837.2017.1381592) 5. Smith, B. W., & Holmes, M. D. (2003). Community accountability, minority threat, and police brutality: An examination of civil rights criminal complaints. Criminology, 41(4), 1035-1064. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-9125.2003.tb01013.x) 6. Mitchell, M. J., & Wood, C. H. (1999). Ironies of citizenship: skin color, police brutality, and the challenge to democracy in Brazil. Social forces, 77(3), 1001-1020. (https://academic.oup.com/sf/article-abstract/77/3/1001/2233808) 7. Costa, A. T. M. (2011). Police brutality in Brazil: authoritarian legacy or institutional weakness?. Latin American Perspectives, 38(5), 19-32.v (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0094582X10391631) 8. Holmes IV, O. (2020). Police brutality and four other ways racism kills Black people. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 39(7), 803-809. (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EDI-06-2020-0151/full/html) 10. Magaloni, B., & Rodriguez, L. (2020). Institutionalized police brutality: Torture, the militarization of security, and the reform of inquisitorial criminal justice in Mexico. American Political Science Review, 114(4), 1013-1034. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/institutionalized-police-brutality-torture-the-militarization-of-security-and-the-reform-of-inquisitorial-criminal-justice-in-mexico/1FB267963EE824E40B4AC6C9644D19B2)

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Understanding What Police Brutality Is and Why It Occurs

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety." She has a Master's degree in psychology.

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee

Why Police Brutality Occurs

Examples of police brutality, tyre nichols, breonna taylor, george floyd, dontre hamilton, eric garner, john crawford iii, why racism can turn to violence, how to reduce police brutality, trigger warning.

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people as it describes various examples of police-related violence.

If you are in crisis, contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

Police brutality refers to the excessive use of force by a police officer against a victim or victims that is deemed to go beyond the level required to sustain life, avoid injury, or control a situation.

Most encounters with the police do not involve violence. A U.S. Department of Justice Report measured contact between police and the public in 2018.

Around 61.5 million people had an encounter with the police the year before the survey, but only 2% of people experienced threats or use of force. However, it's worth remembering that roughly half of the encounters in this survey were traffic-related incidents, and the report did not include police behavior during protests as a category.

In order to solve the problem of police brutality, it is necessary to understand the underlying factors that lead to it happening in the first place. In fact, there are a number of different factors that may play a role, not all of which have to do with the underlying personality of the officer who engages in the act.

However, each of them can be considered from a psychological standpoint or psychological lens. This helps us to understand how to fix the problem from a psychological view.

Individual-Level Factors

What are the individual-level factors that contribute to police brutality? These can be understood as those that originate from the offending officer. Some examples of individual-level factors are given below.

Mental Health Issues

The mental health of the offending officer may play a role. A 2019 study found that officers who self-reported engaging in abusive police practices tended to have higher levels of PTSD symptoms.

It is possible that officers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from job-related stressors and trauma may have an increased startle response , a tendency toward suspicion, and problems with aggression. These traits can make it more likely that they will overreact and use deadly force when not necessary. However, it is also possible that engaging in excessive force results in a sense of profound guilt and moral injury that in turn lead to PTSD symptoms.

Some researchers theorize that traits of "psychopathy", also called antisocial personality disorder (APD) , may be more prevalent in police officers than the general population. Traits such as "fearless dominance" or "cold-heartedness" can be adaptive in dangerous or emotionally charged situations, but they can also make an individual more likely to engage in excessive use of force or to feel that they do not need to follow the rules.

That said, research on this theory is limited. It is unlikely that APD, which is very rare, could explain most police brutality cases.

Personal problems experienced by police officers may increase the likelihood of them engaging in excessive force, such as relationship problems or other stressful life events.

Organizational-Level Factors

What are the organizational-level factors that contribute to police brutality? These can include policies of the police department or the general working environment.

If the police department sets limits for the use of force that allows police officers to use their own discretion (in other words, limits that are too vague or lenient), then the likelihood that officers will use excessive force is going to increase.

In addition, if the general working environment of the police department is such that excessive use of force is not punished or reprimanded, then that sends the message to the police force that it's an acceptable part of their job description.

The Washington Post's police shootings database shows that police shoot and kill roughly 1,000 people a year in the United States. However, only 110 officers since 2005 have been charged with murder or manslaughter, and only 42 officers have been convicted.

In other words, the use of force becomes legitimized because everyone does it and nobody says anything about it.

This, despite the fact that if a civilian were to inflict the same level of force on another individual in the same situation, it would be considered to be a violation of the law. Due to qualified immunity, it can be difficult to prosecute officers for misconduct.

In order to understand the problem of police brutality, it is helpful to consider some of the more prominent examples in recent times. Below are some of the more well-known cases and issues surrounding them.

On January 7, 2023, 29-year-old Black man Tyre Nichols was pulled over in Memphis, TN, due to claims of reckless driving.

The five cops who stopped him, who were also Black, brutally beat him for about three minutes. As a result of his injuries, he died three days later.

The charges brought against the officers included second-degree murder and kidnapping.

After body-camera footage was released on January 27th, the public was outraged as many deemed it to be one of the most heinous acts of police violence ever witnessed.

Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman who died after being shot in her apartment on March 13, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Her death was the result of a search warrant that was being executed by white police officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department.

The raid began shortly after midnight. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought the officers entering the apartment were intruders and fired a warning shot at them, which hit one officer in the leg. In return, the officers fired 32 shots, leaving Breonna Taylor dead and Walker physically unharmed.

While the City of Louisville agreed to pay $12 million to Taylor's family, the three police officers involved were not indicted on charges related to Taylor's death. The incident led to subsequent protests throughout the United States.

George Floyd was a 46-year-old Black man who died on May 25th, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota after being arrested for using a counterfeit $20 bill. During the arrest, former police officer, now convicted murderer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck while Floyd was handcuffed and lying on his face.

Bystanders who tried to intervene were prevented from doing so by other officers. Prior to his death, George Floyd pleaded for relief, saying that he could not breathe and that he was going to die. The entire incident became public when video footage shot by onlookers was released to the public. Autopsies revealed Floyd died as a result of the actions of the officers, and worldwide protests were sparked by the incident.

While these incidents occurred in 2020, police brutality has been a problem for decades. Below is a list of incidents from 2014, at the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement that brought police brutality to the forefront of public discourse.

On April 30, 2014 Dontre Hamilton was killed after being shot 14 times by a police officer in a Milwaukee park. Local Starbucks employees had called the police for a wellness check after seeing Hamilton sleeping on a park bench. The officer who responded to the call, Christopher Manney, began what would later be described by the Police Chief Edward Flynn as an "inappropriate pat-down."

Hamilton woke up and began to struggle. Manney's defense team would later use Hamilton's prior diagnosis of schizophrenia to suggest that he was dangerous, but Flynn would later justify his firing of Manney by saying the officer ignored departmental policy and instigated the fight.

Eric Garner was killed on July 17, 2014 in New York after he was put in an illegal chokehold by a white police officer. Garner said "I can't breathe" 11 times while he was held down. The officer involved, Daniel Pantaleo, was not charged with a crime. His death sparked protests and "I can't breathe" as a slogan for protest.

John Crawford III was killed on August 5, 2014 after being shot by a police officer at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio. He had been holding a pellet gun, which the store had advertised as being on sale, and there was no confrontation. The officers involved were not charged.

These are only some examples of how excessive use of force can lead to death.

Racism refers to bias held against a person or group of people because of their race or ethnicity. Why does racism turn into excessive use of force or violence among police officers? There are several factors to consider.

Prevalence of Deaths Due to Police Brutality

Research has demonstrated that the risk of being killed as a result of the use of excessive force by police in the United States varies by racial and ethnic group membership.

Specifically, Black men and women, American Indian/Alaska Native men and women, and Latin American men were shown to have a higher lifetime risk of dying due to police violence compared to their White counterparts.

In contrast, Latin American women and Asian/Pacific Islander men and women had a lower lifetime risk of dying due to police violence than White counterparts.

The overall lifetime odds were shown to be 1 in 2,000 for men and 1 in 33,000 for women. Overall, the highest risk was shown for Black men, who faced a 1 in 1,000 chance of being killed by a police officer over the course of their lifetime.

Racial Profiling

Why are Black men and other minorities at a higher risk for dying due to an excessive use of force by police than their White counterparts? Racial profiling may help to explain this phenomenon.

Racial profiling refers to assuming guilt based on race or ethnicity, a problem that mostly affects those individuals who have a higher lifetime risk of dying as a result of police brutality.

For example, police officers may use stereotypes when trying to determine the suspects in a crime, or they may perceive persons of certain races (such as Black men) as more aggressive or threatening when faced with a confrontation.

How can we work to reduce police brutality? There are a number of different steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of this phenomenon from an organizational and psychological standpoint.

In 2014, President Barack Obama signed an order to appoint a task force on 21st century policing. The task force developed a list of recommendations such as improving training and education, reducing bias among police officers and departments, introducing and improving crisis intervention training , and promoting cultural sensitivity as well as compassion.

Implicit Bias Training

Implicit bias training takes the approach that police officers operate with subconscious biases that they may not even be aware of. When these biases are activated, they may handle a situation differently than they would if, for example, a person was White instead of Black or driving a BMW instead of a old beat-up pickup truck.

The premise of this training is to help police officers understand that everyone grows up with subconscious biases, even if someone doesn't feel like they have any prejudice. The goal is to make police officers aware of their biases so that they can manage them in the moment. This is more effective than calling out police officers as racist, as most officers would not consider themselves to fall into that category. Rather, this approach takes the stance that all officers need training.

The idea behind implicit bias training is that those who are better able to manage their biases will be safer, more effective, and fairer in their role as police officers. However, there have been very few studies on the effectiveness of implicit bias training for police.

Only one 2020 study has looked at impacts on real-world behavior. While implicit bias training seemed to improve officer knowledge of implicit bias concepts and motivation to act without prejudice, the study found that training had little to no effect on racial and ethnic disparities in police enforcement. In other words, implicit bias training alone was not enough to change behavior.

Improved Hiring Practices

One way to reduce the risk of police brutality is to hire individuals who have a lower risk of becoming violent on the job.

Personality psychology can be helpful in making these decisions, as there are assessments that can be used to predict how individuals will respond to stressful situations as well as predict their behavior when on the job.

The use of personality assessments can also be a way to level the playing field for minorities, as it can be an unbiased way to determine who is the best fit for the job.

Improved Disciplinary & Supervision Measures

Suppose a police officer engages in excessive or deadly force, and there is no punishment. In that case, this sends the message to the rest of the department that the behavior is acceptable.

Instead, adequate supervision to identify police officers acting inappropriately before that behavior gets out of control, as well as disciplinary measures to send the message that the behavior is unacceptable, are necessary to identify and reprimand police officers who are the most likely to use excessive or deadly force.

Using such measures will also deter other officers from acting in the same manner and set the tone for the overall behavioral expectations of police officers in a department.

In other words, police departments should begin to lead by example, and that starts with enforcing the law for police officers in the same way that it would be for civilians.

Provide Mental Health Support for Police Officers

When police officers are better able to manage their emotions under stress, understand which emotions they are experiencing, and communicate well despite being in high-stress situations, they will be better able to de-escalate complex scenarios rather than react by using excessive force.

In other words, there is a tipping point at which excessive force begins to be used, and this tipping point can be dialed backward when police officers receive adequate support for their mental health needs.

Additionally, given the fact that PTSD can be a risk factor for the use of excessive or deadly force, providing swift and adequate support to officers who have experienced trauma on the job seems to be a necessary prerequisite to preventing the use of excessive force.

This begins by providing adequate funding to support the mental health of police officers, and it also means reducing stigma and encouraging police officers to come forward when they are struggling with their mental health.

As a society in general, mental health is still surrounded by stigma , so it is doubly important that police officers are made to feel that it is acceptable for them to talk about their mental health struggles. Rather than feeling isolated with their trauma, stress, or unmanageable emotions, police officers should be made to feel that they know exactly who to speak to for support and that those supports will be in place and easily accessible when they are most needed.

This also means the police departments should be trained to recognize the symptoms of PTSD so that they can intervene and offer support when an officer may not recognize their own symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Improve Relationships Between Police & Community

To reduce the use of excessive and deadly force, it is important to improve the relationships between the police department and the community, particularly the Black community, as this sector is generally the one most affected by police brutality (and subsequent anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress).

This could take the form of programs and initiatives that place police officers in the community in a helping or educational role instead of a policing role. It could also mean having the police department work with the community or participate in marches and rallies to show their support and understanding. This was seen taking place when some police departments chose to attend Black Lives Matter protests and marches and kneel in support instead of taking a combative stance.

When police officers and the public begin to see each other as individuals rather than as groups to fear or cast stereotypes upon, real change will begin.

Conduct Research

In addition to the above measures, it is also necessary to continue to conduct research to understand the psychology behind police brutality. Which personality factors are most likely to correlate with excessive use of force? Which mental disorders show the highest correlation with deadly use of force? What forms of training help most to reduce implicit bias and improve the situation?

Ongoing research on these and other topics is the cornerstone of moving forward and improving the situation when it comes to the excessive use of force by police officers and the disproportionate impact that it has on racial minorities.

Defunding Police Departments

What about defunding police departments? This is a tactic that has been brought up as a solution to police brutality.

Defunding the police means taking money away from funding the police department and instead sending those funds to invest in the communities that are struggling the most and where most of the policing occurs.

It's very much similar to the concept of directing money toward prevention instead of dealing with problems after the fact. While not a simple solution, there is merit in funding programs and communities that are struggling instead of putting more people behind bars.

A Word From Verywell

Understanding the psychology behind police brutality is the first step toward fixing the problem. Unfortunately, the situation is inherently one that needs to be fixed from the top down, beginning with the government systems and how they allocate their funding. When better training and education are in place for police officers, as well as better mental health support, then better outcomes may result.

It's also worth noting that while this problem seems to be most prominent in the United States, other countries may have their own racial tensions (for example, in Canada and Australia, there is tension between the government and Indigenous people). The United States, however, struggles more than most with using deadly force in the form of gun violence.

Mental health support is available if you or someone you know has been affected by or witnessed police-related violence. Please reach out to a mental health professional . Acts of police brutality are traumatizing, and you deserve care, understanding, and support.

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U.S. Department of Justice. Contacts Between Police and the Public, 2018 .

DeVylder J, Lalane M, Fedina L. The association between abusive policing and PTSD symptoms among U.S. police officers . J Soc Soc Work Res . 2019;10(2):261-273. doi:10.1086/703356

Falkenbach D, Balash J, Tsoukalas M, Stern S, Lilienfeld SO. From theoretical to empirical: Considering reflections of psychopathy across the thin blue line . Personal Disord Theor Res Treat. 2018;9(5):420-428. doi:10.1037/per0000270

Thomson-DeVeaux A, Rakich N, Buchireddygari L. Why it's so rare for police officers to face legal consequences . FiveThirtyEight .

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NPR. What we know about the killing of Tyre Nichols .

The New York Times. A timeline of Nichols's Lethal Police Encounter .

D'Amore R. Breonna Taylor: What we know about her death, the investigation and protests . Global News .

BBC News. George Floyd: What happened in the final moments of his life .

CBS News. Former Milwaukee officer not charged in fatal shooting of mentally ill man .

O'Kane C. Eric Garner's mom says seeing a black man plead "I can't breathe" is "like a reoccurring nightmare" . CBS News .

CBS News. Family sues over fatal shooting at Ohio Wal-Mart .

Edwards F, Lee H, Esposito M. Risk of being killed by police use of force in the United States by age, race-ethnicity, and sex .  PNAS. 2019;116(34):16793-16798. doi:10.1073/pnas.1821204116

Laurencin CT, Walker JM. Racial profiling is a public health and health disparities issue . J Racial Ethn Health Disparities . 2020;7:393-397. doi:10.1007/s40615-020-00738-2

President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing .

Center for Police Research and Policy. The Impacts of Implicit Bias Awareness Training in the NYPD .

Williams DR. Stress and the Mental Health of Populations of Color:Advancing Our Understanding of Race-related Stressors .  J Health Soc Behav . 2018;59(4):466-485. doi:10.1177/0022146518814251

Johnson DK. Confirmation Bias and Police Brutality . Psychology Today .

Miller L. Why Cops Kill: The Psychology of Police Deadly Force Encounters . Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2015;22:97-111. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2015.04.007

Muller RT. Officers with PTSD at Greater Risk for Police Brutality . Psychology Today.

Sherman RA. The Problem of Police Brutality . Psychology Today .

Turner E. How can psychology advance police-community relations? Using psychological science and advocacy to contribute to solutions . American Psychological Association.

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety." She has a Master's degree in psychology.

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Police brutality refers to systematic misuse of authority and powers through the unwarranted infliction of bodily or psychological pain to civilians by law enforcers during their official duties. The routine enforcement of law using excessive force against unarmed civilians and the correctional misuse of facilities to manipulate, inflict, injure or subject a civilian to torture amounts to police brutality. Militarily prisons and federal penal correctional facilities, through the personnel operating the facilities, can practice police brutality through extreme subjection of pain and torturous acts with attempts to solicit information or evidence form an inmate. Police brutality falls into two facets: physical and emotional torture. Physical torture, primarily involves excessive force through inflicting bodily harm and subjecting the victim to environments and circumstances that aims at inflicting discomfort and causing bodily pain.

Notably, the transition of the slave society into enlightenment and glamor for equality, freedom and, democratic rights to vote in the 19th and 20th century ushered in another systemic and tragic emergence of systemized and legally enforced police brutality against civilians . The police acted under expressed orders in most cases during the civil rights movement era, and this resulted in thousands of unarmed civilians falling to the brutal torture of police. During the civil rights movement, police brutality was routine practice a way of suppressing the demonstrators. Despite the massive campaign against the constant torture and execution of innocent civilians, the system of cruelty increased and became more comprehensively evil.

Worthy to underscore is that police brutality was and is never meant for the weak and the local civilians but rather anyone going against the government/system during the movement era. A Majority of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were continuously victims of brutality, and some ended up assassinated in the process. It can be argued that the Civil Rights Movement era was the extreme moment of police brutality in the United States.

Police brutality, famously known as ‘savage cruelty’ against innocent civilians, continually receives condemnation across the country. Much legislation and governmental departments were established to combat the vice. Despite the efforts of a majority of police to protect the civilians, a rogue officers’ acts under orders of their own, still engaging in the act of brutalizing and terrorizing their victims. Rogue police officers perpetrate the act of brutality under the “”color of law.”” When cornered by the same law, they maneuver the system and cover-up their criminal activities4.

The ‘Black Lives Matter movement is the rebirth of a Civil Rights Movement era in America. The state of political, economic and social injustices black society feel subjected to has crossed the line. With police brutality still gaining noticeable attention nowadays in the United States, it begs the question: what are the triggering factors of police brutality and what are the legislative frameworks that seek to protect the civilians from this injustice and what is the statistical evidence of the situation in the United States within the last four years?

To successfully answer the research question, application of qualitative and quantitative assessment of the situation is necessary. The use of the two methods of research analysis is introduced to have more evidence and data to increase the support for my argument. The strength of this dual approach is that the models will systematically exhaust all the evidence that is quantifiable and at the same time show the degree of the situation in the United States. The only downside to the dual-approach is the inability to exhaustively consolidate all the pieces of evidence and harmonize the cases to create the needed answer.

Research on police brutality is an exciting yet convicting discourse since it seeks to descriptively lay bare the state of the long-hidden effects of racism and create a harmonized view and idea that as a country citizens can act upon the issue to entirely eradicate the vice of brutality.

After a critical appraisal of the previous similar researches surrounding police brutality, the answers converge to one point: there is little or no goodwill among the ruling class, the judicial system and the police force to wholly combat the vice. The state and level of negligence especially by the political class give the other arms of government the room to relax and overlook the excesses of police brutality. Additionally, the answers seem to continually point an accusing finger to other dominant races in the country for failing to stand-in for the minority races and demand justice for the victims.

The continuous abuse of public rights in any society is in all measures an act of incivility. Over the years, The US holds respect for its civility, home of democratic principles and human rights protection and equality. As a champion of the global respect for human rights, it is unfortunately barbaric for us to overlook the constant inhuman nature of the police force upon the minority groups in the country. Through a systematic and critical analysis of the state of police brutality in the United States of America, the essential aspect of the study is a race as the basis of the skewed cases of police brutality experienced in the United States. Furthermore, the analysis seeks to create a discourse that descriptively assesses the milestones, the setbacks, the legal, social, civil and religious framework that can significantly address the situation. With the help of statistical evidence, an argument and analysis of the position will establish the level of decline or increase of the cases in the past five years.

Police brutality associatively involves several factors such as religion, political affiliation, race, and socio-economic status. The competition is the most critical source of police brutality in the United States. The existing statistical evidence shows that a majority of the victims of police brutality are both African American and Latin American. The subject of understanding in this racial profiling is by crime, immigration illegalities and other activities that can warrant police intervention. Over time, the black community of the US has borne the brunt force of the brutality since the emergence of slavery through to the Civil Rights Movement era to date.

The worrying rate at which the black community experiences racial profiling for both real and imaginary crimes is alarming despite the USA being considered the most mature democracy and home of civility. Forceful detention and torture are common cases experienced by the black community especially the youth and young adults. Notably, racial profiling as a basis of police brutality is statistically substantiated based on the number of black persons in the prisons wrongfully detained or the justice system’s delay in hearing their case. Police brutality is directed to powerless groups without political protection, without economic strength to legally counter the misfortunes and experiences subjected to the black community over the years.

The use of a war model of policing is the main reason for police brutality’s reemergence and zestful application in racially profiled societies of the US. The application of a war model of policing results in the occurrence of fatalities and unnecessary deaths or injuries among civilians. Police view the combat against crime as a fight and war against the criminals or perceived evildoers in society and equate them as enemies. The full-force commonly experienced in war zones is the basis of the indiscriminate brutalities both across the innocent and the perceived criminals. These forceful acts of police create a society that directly views the police as enemies, not law enforcers4. Evidence has it that, police officers who have had an experience with war or subjected to war are 50% likely to exercise brutality on civilians compared to nonveterans.

From some angles, academia has found the systemic cruelty by the police a subject of study and established theories that try to explain this phenomenon.

Threat hypothesis theory and community violence hypothesis theory are some of the most popular arguments trying to solve the mystery underlying the actions of police descriptively 5. Threat hypothesis theory proposes that police use force with a direct or indirect response to a potential threat from a group/racial or social class considered as a possible threat factor to the social order of society.

The inculcation of this attitude of ‘fire for fire’ response among the police, systematically explains why, during demonstrations and peace picketing, the police view demonstrators as a threat to the coexistence and social order of society. The theory exemplifies that, police profiling along racial lines indicates that, the higher the cases of police brutality cases meted on a particular race, the higher the chances that that specific race was associated with social disturbances, economic sabotage, and law-breaking.

The weak points of the threat hypothesis theory

The theory has several downsides. Firstly, the approach in all measure is one-sided, supporting one known evil act (police brutality) against a potentially unverified evil (threat to social order). The point of argument of the theory is to justify the repulsive response and justified actions of brutality by police against mostly innocent civilians by profiling and to associate them to social misfits or threats to the social order and lawfulness.

According to the theory of community violence hypothesis, the idea postulates that the police use forces in direct responsiveness to the levels of existing or potential violence in the community posed by the threatening groups or directly raised to the police. The theory explains that the higher the threats a social misfit group pose on the society, the higher the police offensive power to counter the elements1.

Arguably, there is the sense in the argument that it underlines the principle and foundations of the theory, but the indiscriminate exercise of this force against the threat groups and by extension society is never justified in any case. There are many cases in which the siblings, parents and innocent friends of the perceived misfits are subjected to traumatizing experiences of police brutality in attempts to respond to crimes in equal measure unselectively.

Notably, the two theories lack the fundamental aspects of human life, the sanctity of human conscience and political and legal responsibility for its citizens by the government. The one-sided argument of the theories tries to substantiate that police brutality is the only underlying strength that can combat crime or alleviate threats to social order. The justified application of ‘fire to subdue fire’ as evident in the theories is the basis for the frequent cases of police brutality since the antagonists will never have a roundtable or common ground to make the right decisions.

Furthermore, to refute the foundational beliefs of the theory, the theories failed to capture the institutional protection and defense of human sanctity, freedoms, and responsibilities that police have over the wayward members of the society. In this context, the police fail to set the limits of applying the law and thus create an environment that civilians perceive police as evil and police see the civilians as agents of social distress and disruption of the socio-economic order.

Attempts have been extensively made to combat the excesses of police brutality. Through civil rights movements, agitators of protection of human rights and the legal systems of the country have developed comprehensive measures to assist in combating the cases of police brutality. The combat made on the various aspects surrounding the police subculture and the aberrant psychology that is a familiar character occurring when a person assumes total and absolute control over the welfare of others and authoritatively have complete control of their well-being.

Despite the new attempts to control the excesses of the vice, many doctrinarians have developed to justify the acts; the defense posted are; the discretion and the burden proof as some of the reason for the fragmented judicial pursuits of police misconduct. Doctrines such as federalism, separation of powers and burden proof are the significant aspects that have contributed to the slow-pace approaches in achieving a better, social-friendly and responsive police force that seek to create harmony and protect the rule of law in clear and dignified manner. This point is noted especially in societies with less privileged communities.

Besides the doctrines, other factors have stepped-down on efforts made to reduce police brutality. They include; the systemized training of the police force, the police management and the culture that has undergone generational transfer from time immemorial in the police force. Criminal justice is one major asset to the process of sanitizing police brutality since the system discourages the legal policies and prosecutors pursue police misconducts and vigorously institute punitive measures against the erred officers. Notably, the political system is quicker and more responsive to the police than to the civilians and systematically select the response to the brutality distressed depending on the community, social class and economic unit of the distressed3. Other factors that notably contribute to a slow response to the vice of police brutality is the aspect of a political culture that creates a society that does not respect other races.

With a political class that publicly demeans and under-values other races, the entire system follows suit in undermining the politically disadvantaged communities or races. Without a solidly substantial social change in society, there is little evidence of successfully interrogating the excesses of police brutality and systemizing the principles of accountability and law against the perpetrators of the cruelty without political, social and legal support of the existing structures of police accountability and confinement of their actions.

The onset of reforms and attempts to contain the effects of police brutality was the passage of the Volstead Act of 1919 popularly known as the National Prohibition Act. The basis of the doctrine was to establish the needed mechanism to contain the long-term negativities of police practices. Other notably legal jurisdictions that have been passed over time in the country with the sole purpose of fronting resistance to police brutality include; The Hoover Administration Act, the Law Observation and Enforcement (Wickersham Commission) established to contain lawlessness in law enforcement. During the clamor of the Civil Rights Movement, the responding increase of police brutality led the federal government to pass the ‘Third Degree Act’ against physical brutality on protesting civilians. Despite the many laws and Acts of the federal government, the cases of police brutality have increasingly become a civil disturbance that is negatively painting the American police workforce bleakly in the international media.

The graph further indicates that the black community accounted for 24% of the deaths in 2017. Blacks, being ranked the majority among the victims of police brutality, reinforce the belief that police racially profile black people and goes to the extent of indicating how grave the situation is rooted in the black community. Whites make up the majority of the population and only account for 41% of the entire cases of police brutality.

The comparative approach to determine the percentages of police brutality cases across the various American races is to try to establish the existence of racial profiling. Racial profiling is the chief factor contributing to police brutality; it is primarily evident through the statistics below that, the Black minority followed by the Hispanic community are the primary targets of police brutality.

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85 Police Brutality Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on police brutality, 💡 simple police brutality essay ideas, 📌 easy police brutality essay topics, ❓ police brutality research questions.

• The Rise of Police Brutality against African-American Males The rise of police violence directed to African-American males is a phenomenon which is discussed by both public and authorities.
• Essay on Police Brutality in the United States Police officers are allowed to use “non-negotiable coercive force” to maintain public order and control the behavior of citizens.
• The Issue of Police Brutality in Community Police brutality is a rampant in many communities. Tthere is a lot of animosity between the police and the public.
• Police Brutality: Reasons and Countermeasures The research identifies the reasons for police brutality and the course of actions that conceivably could be done in order to finish it.
• Police Brutality Toward African-American Males People from a poor economic and financial background are targeted by the police as prospective criminals and, therefore, remain under a consistent threat of police brutality.
• Police Brutality Increasing: Support for Black Males Police brutality experienced by the African-American male population is critical, and the emergency of this situation requires immediate response from the state.
• Police Brutality and Mental Health of African Americas The authors hypothesize that the effect of experiencing blackness has a twofold impact on the young African Americans’ mental health
• Police Brutality: Analysis of the Problem Police brutality is directed towards racial minorities and poor immigrants who cannot protect their rights in the courtroom and have no money to file a law case against officers.
• Police Brutality: The Rodney King Case The case of Rodney King is a demonstration of police brutality in the United States. This paper will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the incident, explaining it in detail.
• American Society Police Brutality Causes and Effects Police brutality in America is visible and accompanied by racial discrimination and creates negative consequences for society because it imposes trust issues.
• Beyond “Police Brutality”: Racist State Violence and the University of California – Article Review The article highlights the issues with police attitudes toward the application of seemingly extreme measures to non-violent perpetrators.
• Rodney King’s Police Brutality Case: What Went Wrong Rodney’s case remains a historic example of police brutality. The interplay of several factors might have led to the acquittals of the officers in the first trial.
• Police Brutality Against African Americans and Media Portrayal Police brutality toward the African-American population of the United States is an issue that has received nationwide publicity in recent years.
• Police Brutality and Impunity for Police Violence The overall purpose of this paper is to explore the topic of police brutality and police impunity as it is discussed in modern studies.
• Police Brutality Against African Americans The issue being examined refers to the problem of police brutality on African Americans. The mentioned problem is a burning one and is vividly expressed in modern society.
• Inequalities and Police Brutality Against the Black This paper aims to research racial inequality and hostile police attitudes towards the black population in the United States.
• Police Brutality Against African Americans in America The purpose of this article is to describe the different approaches to researching the problem of police brutality against African Americans.
• Police Brutality Toward Black Community The black community needs help since they suffer due to police brutality, receive various kinds of injuries, and experience traumas.
• Police Brutality on African Americans Police brutality against African Americans has been on the rise even after several constitutional and legal reforms made by the country to control it.
• US Police Brutality and Human Resources Connection Police brutality is one of the most pressing crisis problems in the United States, it requires additional research and immediate solutions.
• History and Reasons Behind Police Brutality Against African Americans
• Media and the Construction of Police Brutality
• Approaches to Dealing With the Problem of Police Brutality in the United States
• Effective Training Methods for Mitigate Police Brutality
• The Causes and Solutions to the Problem of Police Brutality
• Race and Police Brutality: Roots of an Urban Dilemma
• The Suffering and Fight of African-Americans Against Police Brutality
• Historical Context of Police Brutality Issue
• The Relation Between Race and Police Brutality
• Institutional Racism and Police Brutality in Education System
• Police Brutality and Its Effects on African American Communities
• The Correlation Between Racial Profiling and Police Brutality
• Police Brutality: Pervasive Problem or Rare Anomaly
• History of the Movement Against Police Brutality in Nigeria
• Police Brutality and Its Effects on the Lives of Young Men
• Anti-police Brutality Claims as a Predictor of Police Repression of Protest
• Bifurcation of Civil Rights Defendants: Undermining Monell in Police Brutality
• Patterns of Injustice: Police Brutality in the Courts
• The Circumvention of Just Sentencing for Police Brutality
• Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States
• The Failure of Local and Federal Prosecutors to Curb Police Brutality
• Police Brutality: Distortion of the Way People View Law Enforcement
• Reasons of High Prevalence of Police Brutality Toward African Americans
• Impact of Social Media on Police Brutality Awareness in Nigeria
• Anticipation of Racially Motivated Police Brutality and Youth Mental Health
• The Legal Complex in the Struggle to Control Police Brutality in India
• Race and Power Perspective on Police Brutality in America
• Inequities in Anticipatory Stress of Police Brutality and Depressed Mood Among Women
• Basic Rights Caught in the Web of Racism, Classism and Police Brutality
• Why Police Brutality Is a Matter of Public Health?
• Police Brutality and the Disciplining of Race, Gender, and the “Human”
• How Failed Reforms Allow Continued Police Brutality and Racism
• Ghetto Assessments of Police Brutality, Protection and Authority
• Nature of the Problem of Police Brutality
• Public Acquiescence of Police Brutality and Extrajudicial Killings in São Paulo, Brazil
• Capturing Police Brutality on Mobile Phones in South Africa: Is This the Way?
• Compariosn of Police Brutality in the United States, England & Canada
• Racism, Police Brutality and the Trial of Terrence Johnson
• Police Brutality and Human Rights Violations in Belarus
• Municipal Liability for Police Brutality Under Respondeat Superior
• Are the Police Taking Advantage of People by Using Police Brutality?
• Would Better Training of Police Reduce Police Brutality?
• How Does Police Corruption Remain a Tainted Reminder of Police Brutality in the US?
• Does the Media Cover up the Police Brutality?
• Can Police Self-Defense Be Mistaken for Brutality?
• How Do Race and Ethnicity Affect Police Brutality?
• When Does Excessive Force Become Police Brutality?
• How Did Repressive Laws and Police Brutality Against Mexican Americans Stigmatize the Race as a Whole?
• When Does the Police Duty to Protect Fail Police Brutality?
• Is Police Brutality the Same as Excessive Force?
• How Does Police Brutality Affect Society?
• Does Job Stress Contribute to Police Brutality?
• Is Police Brutality Against Minorities, Juveniles, or the Poor a Serious Problem?
• How Does the Body Camera Increase Police Brutality?
• Why Is Outrage Over Police Brutality Not Enough?
• How Has the Black Lives Matter Movement Brought Attention to Police Brutality?
• Is Racism a Factor in Police Brutality?
• How Can the Extent of Police Brutality Be Measured?
• What Are the Causes of Police Brutality?
• How Can Police Brutality Be Reduced?
• Would Community Policing Reduce Police Brutality?
• How Does Police Brutality Violate Human Rights?
• Does Education Reduce Police Brutality?
• How Many Types of Police Brutality Are There?
• What Are the Elements of Police Brutality?
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These essay examples and topics on Police Brutality were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

The essay topic collection was published on August 27, 2022 . Last updated on January 3, 2023 .

Thesis Statement on Police Brutality

Police brutality thesis

Potential or actual use of physical force as a defining feature of police activity, as well as one of the most frequent reasons for public concern about their actions, while at the same time it becomes, by virtue of its very nature, one of the most elusive dimensions for its knowledge. The studies about police brutality have alternately focused on their understanding as deviant practice or as a normal and immanent process to police activity. But more than aspects different and antagonistic, we propose that both forms of manifestation of police violence refer to the very nature of their activity and their authorization to use force against citizens.

The purpose of this work is to make an inventory of the available knowledge about the use of physical force by the police, its dimensions, characteristics and possible explanations, to propose from the theoretical debate on the subject during these last two decades, and in light of recent changes in the patterns of police violence, hypotheses that integrate the available knowledge and give intelligibility to the increase in the use of police force against citizens. The studies would indicate that the police brutality is related, on the one hand, to the expansion of the state’s punitive power, while others would emphasize situational variables such as uncertainty. However, both would be insufficient in themselves to understand the quantitative and qualitative changes in the use of physical force by the police, so, developing thesis statement on police brutality already raised by Gabaldon (1993), we will try to explain the increase in police violence as a result of processes of loss of power of the state or the police itself. The data seem to point that, far from impacting on the reduction of crime and violence, there seems to be a correlation between a greater use of physical coercion by the police and an increase in violent crimes.

Thesis statement for police brutality: the impact of the use of police force in insecurity

Some investigations of recent years demonstrate tolerance and even acceptance of the excesses in the use of police brutality, provided that is justified in the punishment and elimination of delinquents, by significant groups of public opinion. This tolerance is consistent with the leniency with which they treat cases of use illegal of the force the Administration of Justice. Police brutality would find legitimacy as a tolerated strategy to guarantee security and punish crime. It would be a reissue of the security dilemma and rights: Would not it be acceptable to tolerate some excess of the state, and in this case of the police, as a necessary price to protect us and guarantee social peace? How important is it for the state to have rights, including of the lives of those who justly violate rights and take life away fromт others, if this offers us security?

In cases such as homicides, the police make an important contribution to the increase in crime figures. In other words, police violence not only does not decrease, but could even increase crime, violence and insecurity.

This seemingly paradoxical result returns us to our initial problematic: What is the function of police brutality regulated and administered as strategic means of government of the population? The classic studies on use of the physical force of the police unfold their nature in an effective use, material, which involves coercion (repression) on refractory subjects or aggressors, and a symbolic use, which acts on the expectations of the whole social subjects. The strategic effect of the police as an instance of regulation of social life would reside in this last register, while the expectations of detection and coercion by the police would control collective acts, reducing the requirements for the effective use of force. A greater effectiveness and legitimacy for the social subjects of this symbolic operation (what is expressed in the liberal postulates about the use of violence of state: opportunity, proportionality, need), it becomes less necessary the effective use of physical force by the police. This would be one of the reasons why police violence proliferates in situations of legitimacy crisis of the state and the police.

87 Police Brutality Topics and Essay Examples

🏆 best police brutality topics for essays, 📌 most interesting police brutality essay topics, 👍 good research topics about police brutality, ❓ research questions about police brutality, 💯 free police brutality research title generator.

• Police in law enforcement misconduct This creates a rift between the community and the police leading to further misconduct in the process of enforcing the law.
• Excessive force by the police On the other hand, the media reported on the severity of misconduct by police officers and cited the Blue code of silence as the key setback against the fight against police torture.
• Police Deviance For the sake of this paper, the scope of this paper will only examine the code of conduct in reference to the relationship between the police force and the society.
• Police Misconduct: What Can Be Done? Police officers are the individuals charged with the task of maintaining law and order and ensuring the security of the population.
• Police Misconduct Actually, prosecutors are always reluctant to try these victims in the court of law for the following reasons; police officers, in most cases, are protected by the prosecutors.
• Public Administration Issue: Police Brutality The trend is ongoing and is not expected to end any time soon because of the social structure and the culture that does not value the contributions of minorities and people of color.
• Police Brutality in the USA This paper aims to discuss the types of police brutality, the particularities of psychological harm inflicted by the police, and its consequences for the population affected by these forms of violence.
• Police Brutality: Dissoi Logoi Argumentation Under the influence of societal views, the majority of the representatives of the general public tend to perceive police officers as a safeguarding force that gathers individuals who perform their duties to ensure that the […]
• Technology Influences on Police Brutality Modern platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to inform and educate more people about the nature of police brutality.
• Social Psychology: Police Brutality The first group of solutions to the problem of police brutality includes technical measures, such as the use of body cameras and dashboard cameras. Finally, another potential solution to police brutality is the diversification of […]
• Police Brutality: Internal and External Stakeholders To begin with, internal stakeholders such as police officers and judges have been observed to enforce the law discriminatively. Policymakers can be encouraged to propose and support powerful laws that have the potential to deal […]
• Police Brutality as a Law Enforcement Challenge The problem has persisted due to the ineffectiveness of different leaders. The number of unexplainable shootings, severe beatings, and mistreatments continues to be reported in the country.
• Police Brutality: Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 In this essay, a summary of the Graham and Connor case and the decision of the court will be introduced. In case this suggestion is correct, Connor appears as a police officer who failed to […]
• Police Brutality: Social Issue This paper explores the issue of police brutality and seeks to shed light on the perceptions of the public, especially the black minority.
• Body-Worn Cameras Against Police Brutality in New York There is often a legal foundation to such a privileged position; the laws control the oppressed class and mitigate threats to the power of the ruling class.
• History of Police Brutality: The Murder of George Floyd Police officers strive to maintain order and ensure adherence to the laws of the state. The standards observed the right to democracy and addressed the need for representation.
• Excessive Force and Deviance, Police Brutality The events highlighting racial injustice could positively influence our society, maintaining an appropriate level of awareness regarding the issues encountered by African-Americans and prompting a change in police behaviors.
• Impact of Police Brutality on the Society in the United States The issue of racism is one that has led to police brutality that has been witnessed in the American society for a long time.
• Police Brutality: Causes and Solutions If the criminal is armed and firing at the police, the use of force is acceptable. However, when the actions of the police are disproportionate to the committed crimes, the necessity of such measures is […]

• The Incidents Involving Police Brutality
• The Infringement of Natural Human Rights Because of Police Brutality in the United States
• Police Brutality and Its Effects on the United States
• The Flaws of Police Officers and the Issue of Police Brutality on an Individual
• The Suffering and Fight of African-Americans Against Police Brutality
• The Image Serving as a Reminder of Police Brutality
• The Negative Effects of Police Brutality
• The Changing Patterns of Racism and Police Brutality in the United States
• Police Brutality and the Death of Freddie Gray
• The Issue of Police Brutality and Injustice in the Story of Kalief Browder
• The Relation Between Police Brutality and Race in the United States of America
• Police Brutality and Racism Against African Americans
• The High Prevalence of Police Brutality Towards African America
• The US Government Faces Different Challenges with Police Brutality
• The Truth About Police Brutality Against Minorities
• The Importance of Body Cameras for Solving the Problem of Police Brutality
• Protesting Protest Against Police Brutality
• The Solutions to the Issue of Police Brutality in the United States
• Racism: Police Brutality and Racial Profiling
• Prejudice, Police Brutality, Racism: The Three Things We Are Trying to Get Rid Off
• Problems Caused by Police Brutality
• Police Misconduct and Police Brutality
• The Issue of Police Brutality Against People of Color in the United States
• The Issue of Police Brutality Against the Colored People in the United States
• The Effects of Violence on Police Brutality
• The Deaths Caused by Hurricane Katrina and Police Brutality in America
• Social Media Activism, Centered on Police Brutality
• The Effects of Police Brutality on the Relationship
• The Long Problem of Police Brutality in the United States
• The Police Brutality Against Minorities
• Race, Police Brutality, Crime, Education and Poverty
• The Issue of Police Brutality in the United States and the Solutions to Curb Police Misconduct
• The Influence of the Media and Social Class in Police Brutality
• The Dangers of Racial Profiling and Police Brutality
• The Effects of Police Brutality on Minority Communities
• The Effects of Police Brutality and Racism English
• The Drug Trade as the Cause of Police Brutality in Brazil
• Police Brutality and Their Power Caught on Video by Bystanders
• How to Deal with the Problem of Police Brutality in the United States?
• What is the Relations Police Brutality and Its Contributors?
• How Repressive Laws and Police Brutality Against Mexican Americans Stigmatized the Race as a Whole?
• How Race and Ethnicity Affects Police Brutality Term?
• Police Brutality Ends Here?
• What Does the Media Cover up the Police Brutality?
• How Does Police Brutality on Children Affect How Society?
• Does Police Brutality Distort the Way People View Law Enforcement?
• How Can We Help Prevent Police Brutality?
• How to Stop Police Brutality Against Minority’s?
• Has Been Police Brutality Alive for Too Many Years?
• Has Police Brutality Increased Throughout the United?
• What Is Wrong with Police?
• How Police Corruption Remains a Tainted Reminder of Police Brutality in the US?
• Does Police Brutality Affect the Mental Health of Black Youth?
• Why Isn’t Outrage over Police Brutality Enough?
• Are the Police Taking Advantage of People by Using Police Brutality?
• Has Been Police Brutality Around for Decades?
• Should There Be Direct Laws Against Police Brutality?
• Can You Trust the Law?
• What Is the Police Brutality Effect on African American Males?
• When the Police Duty to Protect Fails Police Brutality?
• Religious Profiling and Police Brutality: How They Affect Operations?
• What Are the Effects of Police Brutality?
• Police Brutality: What’s Really Going on?
• What is the New York City Police Brutality?
• How Does the Body Camera Increase Police Brutality?
• The Causes of Police Brutality in America: Is It Due to Police Behavior?
• When Excessive Force Becomes Police Brutality Sociology?
• What is the Link Between Police Brutality and the Law Enforcement Officers?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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• Press Release

AAMC Statement on Police Brutality and Racism in America and Their Impact on Health

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David J. Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) and David A. Acosta, MD, AAMC chief diversity and inclusion officer, released the following statement:

“For too long, racism has been an ugly, destructive mark on America’s soul. Throughout our country’s history, racism has affected every aspect of our collective national life—from education to opportunity, personal safety to community stability, to the health of people in our cities large and small, and in rural America. 

Over the past three months, the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the racial health inequities harming our Black communities, exposing the structures, systems, and policies that create social and economic conditions that lead to health disparities, poor health outcomes, and lower life expectancy. 

Now, the brutal and shocking deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have shaken our nation to its core and once again tragically demonstrated the everyday danger of being Black in America. Police brutality is a striking demonstration of the legacy racism has had in our society over decades. This violence has eroded trust of the police within Black and other communities of color who are consistently victims of marginalization, focused oppression, racial profiling, and egregious acts of discrimination. 

Our country must unite to combat and dismantle racism and discrimination in all its forms and denounce race-related violence, including police brutality . Enough is enough.

As healers and educators of the next generation of physicians and scientists, the people of America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals bear the responsibility to ameliorate factors that negatively affect the health of our patients and communities: poverty, education, access to transportation, healthy food, and health care.

Racism is antithetical to the oaths and moral responsibilities we accepted as health professionals who have dedicated our lives to advancing the health of all, especially those who live in vulnerable communities.

As leaders of anchor institutions in our communities, academic medicine’s physicians, educators, hospital leaders, faculty, researchers, learners, and staff must lead by example and take bold action in partnership with the communities we serve:

• We must acknowledge and speak out against all forms of racism, discrimination, and bias in our environments in our institutions, communities, and society.
• We must stand in solidarity with the Black community and speak out against unjust and inhumane incidents of violence.
• We must demonstrate empathy and compassion and acknowledge the pain and grief that the families and the communities of these victims are experiencing.
• We must take the lead in educating ourselves and others to address these issues head-on.
• We must be deliberate and partner with local communities, public health agencies, and municipal governments to dismantle structural racism and end police brutality.
• We must employ anti-racist and unconscious bias training and engage in interracial dialogues that will dispel the misrepresentations that dehumanize our Black community members and other marginalized groups.
• We must move from rhetoric to action to eliminate the inequities in our care, research, and education of tomorrow’s doctors.

The AAMC stands against racism and hate in all its forms, and we call on academic medicine to stand together on this issue. We are committed to harnessing all of our resources to catalyze meaningful and lasting solutions. We can no longer be bystanders. We must not be silent. But while our solidarity is necessary, it is not sufficient. Together, and in partnership with the communities we serve, we must work together to heal our nation.”

The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) is a nonprofit association dedicated to improving the health of people everywhere through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaborations. Its members are all 158 U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education; 13 accredited Canadian medical schools; approximately 400 academic health systems and teaching hospitals, including Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and more than 70 academic societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC leads and serves America’s medical schools, academic health systems and teaching hospitals, and the millions of individuals across academic medicine, including more than 193,000 full-time faculty members, 96,000 medical students, 153,000 resident physicians, and 60,000 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the biomedical sciences. Following a 2022 merger, the Alliance of Academic Health Centers and the Alliance of Academic Health Centers International broadened participation in the AAMC by U.S. and international academic health centers.

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