Protests in cities across the country in response to the death of George Floyd have once again brought the issue of police brutality into the national spotlight. What reforms can limit violence by law enforcement in the future?
Massive protests in cities across the country in response to the death of George Floyd have once again brought the issue of police brutality into the national spotlight.
The specifics of individual instances of police violence vary widely and are often heavily debated; however, the number of police killings has remained consistent, as have calls for reform in police departments and the criminal justice system overall. Between 2013 and 2019, there were around 1,000 people killed by law enforcement each year, or roughly three a day. The current year is on pace to match those numbers, despite weeks of lockdowns in response to the coronavirus.
Story continuesReform advocates say the most direct path to a decrease in police killings would be for officers who use excessive force to be held accountable and face clear sanctions. Only about 1 percent of fatal incidents result in a criminal charge, even fewer lead to a conviction.
Others say change will come only when the public’s perception of the role of the police is transformed, especially among white Americans. Recognizing that the mere presence of police inherently means the risk of violence could lead to new forms of emergency response in which, for example, mental health experts or social workers respond to certain incidents instead of law enforcement.
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