John Crawford was standing in a Walmart in Ohio holding a toy rifle he picked off a shelf and was presumably planning to buy. He was pointing it at the floor while talking on his phone and browsing other goods. The children playing near him did not consider him a threat; nor did their mother, who was standing a few feet away. The police responded to a caller who said that a black man with a gun was threatening people. The police broke down the shop door and shot him dead. The children’s mother died of a heart attack in the ensuing panic. In September a grand jury declined to bring a formal accusation against the officers who shot Mr Crawford...
Most people have probably never heard this story, for such tragedies are disturbingly common: America’s police shoot dead more than one person a day (nobody knows the exact number as not all deaths are reported). But two recent cases have sparked nationwide protests. First Michael Brown, a black teenager, was shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri, just after he robbed a shop, and then Eric Garner, a harmless middle-aged black man guilty only of selling single cigarettes on the streets of New York, was choked to death by a policeman while five cops watched—and this time the event was filmed by a bystander.
It seems to be that the police are using excessive violence enforced by the state. Americans simply do not realise how violent their law enforcement system is compared with those of other 'core' countries. It could be changed in ways that would make America safer, and fairer to both black and whites. So far much of the debate within America has focused on race.
That is not unreasonable; the victims were all black, and most of the policemen involved were white. American blacks feel that the criminal-justice system works against them, rather than for them. Some 59% of white Americans have confidence in the police, but only 37% of blacks do. If any racial group looses trust in enforcers of the law, it erodes social relationships. It also hurts America’s moral standing in the world (not aided by revelations about the CIA’s use of torture). But racial division, rooted as it is in America’s past, is not easily mitigated.
Don’t shoot:
Bits of America’s criminal-justice system can be justified such as New York’s cops but overall the country is an outlier for all the wrong reasons. It jails nearly 1% of its adult population, more than five times the rich-country average. A black American man has, by one estimate, a one in three chance of spending time behind bars. Sentences are harsh. While other nations have focused on community policing, some American police have become militant, equipping themselves with grenade launchers and armoured cars.
Fewer armoured cars, more body cameras:
One reason why so many American police shoot first is that so many American civilians are armed. This year 46 policemen were shot dead; last year 52,000 were assaulted. When a policeman is called out to interrupt a robbery, he knows that one mistake could mean he never makes it to retirement. The vastly differing rate at which policemen shoot young black men is not simply a matter of prejudice. Roughly 29% of Americans shot by the police are black, but so are about 42% of cop killers whose race is known.
If America did not have 300m guns in circulation, much of this would change. That, sadly, is not going to happen soon. But there are other ways to make the police less violent.
Ways to tackle the problem:
Every police force should report how many people it kills to the federal government. And if communities want to buy gadgets, they should give their police body cameras. These devices deter bad behaviour on both sides and make investigations easier. Had the officer who shot Mr Brown worn one, everyone would know how it happened.
The second is accountability. It must be easier to sack bad cops. If an officer is accused of a crime, the decision as to whether to him may rest with a local prosecutor who works closely with the local police, attends events with them and depends on the support of the police union if he or she wants to be re-elected.
The third, and hardest, is reversing the militarisation of the police. Too many see their job as to waging war on criminals; too many poor neighbourhoods see the police as an occupying army. The police need more training and less weaponry.
In many ways America remains a model for other countries. Its economic growth has roared back to expected levels.Yet its criminal-justice system, the backbone of any society, is DEEPLY flawed. Changing it will be hard; but change is needed and much overdue.
Most people have probably never heard this story, for such tragedies are disturbingly common: America’s police shoot dead more than one person a day (nobody knows the exact number as not all deaths are reported). But two recent cases have sparked nationwide protests. First Michael Brown, a black teenager, was shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri, just after he robbed a shop, and then Eric Garner, a harmless middle-aged black man guilty only of selling single cigarettes on the streets of New York, was choked to death by a policeman while five cops watched—and this time the event was filmed by a bystander.
It seems to be that the police are using excessive violence enforced by the state. Americans simply do not realise how violent their law enforcement system is compared with those of other 'core' countries. It could be changed in ways that would make America safer, and fairer to both black and whites. So far much of the debate within America has focused on race.
That is not unreasonable; the victims were all black, and most of the policemen involved were white. American blacks feel that the criminal-justice system works against them, rather than for them. Some 59% of white Americans have confidence in the police, but only 37% of blacks do. If any racial group looses trust in enforcers of the law, it erodes social relationships. It also hurts America’s moral standing in the world (not aided by revelations about the CIA’s use of torture). But racial division, rooted as it is in America’s past, is not easily mitigated.
Don’t shoot:
Bits of America’s criminal-justice system can be justified such as New York’s cops but overall the country is an outlier for all the wrong reasons. It jails nearly 1% of its adult population, more than five times the rich-country average. A black American man has, by one estimate, a one in three chance of spending time behind bars. Sentences are harsh. While other nations have focused on community policing, some American police have become militant, equipping themselves with grenade launchers and armoured cars.
Fewer armoured cars, more body cameras:
One reason why so many American police shoot first is that so many American civilians are armed. This year 46 policemen were shot dead; last year 52,000 were assaulted. When a policeman is called out to interrupt a robbery, he knows that one mistake could mean he never makes it to retirement. The vastly differing rate at which policemen shoot young black men is not simply a matter of prejudice. Roughly 29% of Americans shot by the police are black, but so are about 42% of cop killers whose race is known.
If America did not have 300m guns in circulation, much of this would change. That, sadly, is not going to happen soon. But there are other ways to make the police less violent.
Ways to tackle the problem:
Every police force should report how many people it kills to the federal government. And if communities want to buy gadgets, they should give their police body cameras. These devices deter bad behaviour on both sides and make investigations easier. Had the officer who shot Mr Brown worn one, everyone would know how it happened.
The second is accountability. It must be easier to sack bad cops. If an officer is accused of a crime, the decision as to whether to him may rest with a local prosecutor who works closely with the local police, attends events with them and depends on the support of the police union if he or she wants to be re-elected.
The third, and hardest, is reversing the militarisation of the police. Too many see their job as to waging war on criminals; too many poor neighbourhoods see the police as an occupying army. The police need more training and less weaponry.
In many ways America remains a model for other countries. Its economic growth has roared back to expected levels.Yet its criminal-justice system, the backbone of any society, is DEEPLY flawed. Changing it will be hard; but change is needed and much overdue.
1 comment:
Another great post, O'Dale. Looking forward to this blog becoming fully student-led. You write very well and this is exactly the depth of knowledge you need about the world's most advanced economy. Hopefully others too will discover that blogging is easy and a great way to share understanding. HINTS HEAVILY
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