Abstract

This special issue of JECJ presents empirical evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, that despite several decades of attempted police reform, Blacks continue to experience policing as a repressive social institution, whether they are engaged in crime or not. The research reveals continued patterns of racially disparate treatment during traffic stops, in police response to protestors, and in mainstream media representations of protest events. Consistent with this special issue’s theme, the over-policing of Black bodies is shown to extend beyond mere “perception” to a lived experience that is documented via social media and the narratives of individuals, including former police officers, directly affected by repeat and aggressive police encounters. The researchers make several recommendations to change the current empirical reality. Their reform recommendations include: altering current police training to center the needs of the community as identified by a broad spectrum of residents, especially those who have experienced multiple forms of trauma; the reallocation of police funding to community-based crime prevention efforts; banning officers from requesting consent to search during vehicle stops;encouraging greater participation of highly policed populations in local governance and political processes; and, eliminating racial categories in government-sponsored crime statistic reports. By recognizing existing racialized patterns and working to deliberately uncouple Black racial identity from criminal identity, the U.S. can begin to reverse a long-standing culture of violence within policing that disproportionately targets Blacks.

摘要

JECJ 的这一特刊提供了定性和定量的经验证据，表明尽管数十年来试图进行警察改革，但无论黑人是否参与犯罪，他们仍然将警务视为一种压制性的社会机构。该研究揭示了在交通停车期间、警察对抗议者的反应以及主流媒体对抗议活动的描述中，种族差异待遇的持续模式。与本期特刊的主题相一致，对黑人身体的过度监管已超越单纯的“感知”扩展到通过社交媒体记录的生活经历和个人的叙述，包括前警察，直接受到重复和攻击性的影响警察遭遇。研究人员提出了几项建议，以改变当前的经验现实。他们的改革建议包括： 改变当前的警察培训，以满足广大居民，尤其是那些经历过多种形式创伤的居民所确定的社区需求；将警察资金重新分配给以社区为基础的预防犯罪工作；禁止警官在停车期间请求同意搜查；鼓励高度警戒的人群更多地参与地方治理和政治进程；并且，消除政府资助的犯罪统计报告中的种族类别。通过认识到现有的种族化模式并努力将黑人种族身份与犯罪身份分离开来，美国可以开始扭转长期针对黑人的警务中长期存在的暴力文化。改变当前的警察培训，以满足广大居民，尤其是那些经历过多种形式创伤的居民所确定的社区需求；将警察资金重新分配给以社区为基础的预防犯罪工作；禁止警官在停车期间请求同意搜查；鼓励高度警戒的人群更多地参与地方治理和政治进程；并且，消除政府资助的犯罪统计报告中的种族类别。通过认识到现有的种族化模式并努力将黑人种族身份与犯罪身份分离开来，美国可以开始扭转长期针对黑人的警务中长期存在的暴力文化。改变当前的警察培训，以满足广大居民，尤其是那些经历过多种形式创伤的居民所确定的社区需求；将警察资金重新分配给以社区为基础的预防犯罪工作；禁止警官在停车期间请求同意搜查；鼓励高度警戒的人群更多地参与地方治理和政治进程；并且，消除政府资助的犯罪统计报告中的种族类别。通过认识到现有的种族化模式并努力将黑人种族身份与犯罪身份分离开来，美国可以开始扭转长期针对黑人的警务中长期存在的暴力文化。