Studies

Research on racial bias in policing

“The use of tear gas as a crowd control measure during protests may possibly lead to or worsen respiratory problems, exaggerating the risk for COVID-19 infection. As mentioned, the active component of the tear gas is a chlorinated organic chemical which has the potential of causing inflammation and injury to the skin and airways."

Body-worn cameras “do not significantly change the disparity between the numbers of Black and White misdemeanor arrests. This finding may imply that BWC implementation is not an effective antidote for officers' explicit racial biases in law enforcement. It may support the supposition that racial disparities in policing result from officers' implicit biases or from institutionalized racism within policing practices."

“In short, the implication that there is a safe way for law enforcement to restrain using carotid manipulation, or traumatic manipulation of cerebral blood flow in any form, is simply false. Carotid compression contributes to potential neurologic sequelae via oxygen deprivation, embolic risk from mechanical vessel wall trauma, or arrhythmia. The possibility of devastating repercussions is too high to merit the use of neck restraints in any circumstance."

“Despite Black women having alcohol/drug use identified by prenatal care providers at similar rates to White women and entering treatment more than expected, Black newborns were four times more likely than White newborns to be reported to CPS at delivery. This contradicts the premise of Effective Treatment."

“Hospitals actively participate in reporting Black women who use drugs to police or welfare agencies. In contrast to private physicians who are less likely to test their patients—patients who are more likely to be white and affluent—hospitals engage in drug testing according to criteria that are more likely to capture Black women, such as lack of prenatal care”

“Participants discussed the impact of the killing on their children and the children’s subsequent reactions to law enforcement, which most often included fear, anger, and a yearning for accountability. The mistrust and fear of law enforcement were reportedly exacerbated by police actions subsequent to the killing, including invasive searches, threats toward caregivers, and lack of a proper investigation."

“Knowing that the victim was unarmed is a significant predictor of the likelihood that the victim was black. Other predictors of a police shooting victim being black were a higher proportion of black residents in the Census tract, a greater number of police officers per capita in the city, and a higher overall level of black-white residential segregation in the state."

“People of color who are mentally ill, or whose mental situation is unstable, are at greater risk of being subjected to police brutality.” & “Depending upon the racial identity of the suspect… police appear to forgo the medical modality in favor of criminal… modalities."