cj 300 final project
TEACHER COMMENTS
(2-1 Final Project Milestone One: Introduction)
Excellent, in-depth comprehensive outline. Your provide an outstanding level of information and points raised, very well done! I offered some comments throughout your paper regarding content and grammar usage, please review.
I want you to understand that when the activist in the film shot the man in the scenario, when he walked to the rear of truck and would not raise his hands, was an unjustified shooting. If the activist was an actual police officer and he killed the man, he would have been subject to being criminally charged. There was no reason for the man to be shot within the scenario. This is what the police trainer wanted to exhibit to the activist. The activist shot the man because the man was bigger and would not comply with his commands; simply not complying with commands and being unarmed does not justify the officer in the use deadly force. Only if the officer believes loss of life or great bodily harm is imminent to the officer or another can deadly force be used.
Do read over the comments that I provided within your Reference section as well. Overall, great work. I can see that you are looking at the issue from both perspectives.
Running head: USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
Use of Force Complaints
Hattie Harvey
SNHU
CJ 300
USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
2
Use of Force Complaints
a) Outline of the contemporary issue: Use of Force Complaints
Complaints concerning the use of force by policemen on duty are increasingly
causing tension in the United States.
The recent decade is characterized by complaints that the police officers are
unjustifiably targeting the African American community and using excessive
force against them that is not warranted or necessary.
This perceived use of force against particular community sparks debates that
the US police force are racists
While a significant portion of the public believe that, indeed, the use of force
is not warranted but rather founded on discriminatory attitudes, police offers
and spokesmen constantly argue that use of force is sometimes needed to
ensure the safety of the police officers as well as safety of the public
The emerging question, therefore, is when is use of force by policemen
necessary?
Perhaps the most controversial cases are indeed examples of actual use of
unnecessary force against civilians or perhaps these cases are examples of the
misguided perception of the public whereby they fail to appreciate the
imminent danger posed against the police or other members of public.
This module explores the use of force using criminology theories to illustrate
the scenarios when use of force is justified or unjustified and its consequences
b) Setting the stage
In 2015, Fox 10 news followed the story of an unarmed civilian who was shot
and killed by police officers in Phoenix (Fox10, 2015)
Kevin Hermes:
forces or departments...
Kevin Hermes:
officers
Kevin Hermes:
Yes! Try to locate within your state's statutes if it oulines when a police officer is legally justified to use necessary force to affect an arrest.
Kevin Hermes:
Excellent! This clearly shows that you are examining both sides.
Kevin Hermes:
criminological theories...
USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
3
The incidence led to a public outcry that resulted into massive demonstrations
The history of crime in human history show that sometimes it is hard to
predict when a civilian would turn aggressive against the police officers
during an encounter with the public as the background potential casualties
Sometimes, the police officers are slow in responding with the required force
against an aggressor leading to the injury and even death of the police officer
This means that the split second in which the police officer decides to use
force can lead to his death or successful deterrence of injury to self and others
As such they are trained to meet certain levels of aggression or suspicious
activities with force. For instance, an individual who fails to comply with
police command to remain still and raise hands in the air but instead goes to
the back of car warrants use of force such as shooting because he or she might
going to get a fire arm.
Arguably, though, it is hard to predict and ascertain the person who would turn
aggressive and the one who would not. What police can arm themselves with
apart from legal weapons are theoretical frameworks of crime and criminology
to guide them in performing their duty
To better understand the application of these theories in the context of Use of
Force Complaints, its necessary to view aggression against police officers as
an independent crime by itself
According to the Rational Choice Theory, people commit crime because they
perceive the cost of the crime as minimal and the benefits greater (Callaway,
Sjoelin, & Skelbaek-Pedersen, 2011)
Kevin Hermes:
shows...reveals... suggests...
Kevin Hermes:
No, it does not. see my comments in general feedback.
Kevin Hermes:
might is the key word here.
Kevin Hermes:
it's or it is...
Kevin Hermes:
yes
USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
4
When a person is cornered by one police officer, he or she may weigh the high
cost of jail time against the benefits of getting away, at which point he or she
may attempt to overpower the police officer by all means
This can be avoided by providing many police officers to minimize the
perception that one can get away. However, even then, some may opt to be
shot to death than surrender and face incarceration
The Opportunity theory determines that an individual may decide to commit a
crime due to visibility, physical accessibility, and absence of sufficient
guardian. If one officer is blocking the escape of the offender, the offender
may decide to physically assault the officer to get away, especially if he thinks
he can see the officer and access him or her without hindrance from other
officers or people (Swope, 2001)
In these situations, the use of force by police officers is justified
Arguably, though, police officers are also human beings. They might wrongly
perceive certain gestures as sign of aggression when, in fact, they are not.
As such, setting clear standards (such as comply with police commands) and
collaboration between the public and police officers is necessary in de-
escalating the tension between public and police and reducing the number of
violent retaliation or intervention
c) Role of the issue in the criminology
The complaints concerning police use of force is undermine security in
general
First, it makes police officer afraid to use force even when necessary due to
fear of harassment by the public
Kevin Hermes:
this is a bit choppy, not clearly stated.
Kevin Hermes:
Also fear of termination or criminal prosectuion. This is a very real fear among the police today.
USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
5
This can makes crime offenders get off easy as well as predisposing the
officers to attacks by the offenders
Secondly, these complaints increases hostility of the public towards the police
force and officers
As such, instead of the public collaborating with the police officers they act
against them because they perceive them as threat to their security instead of
guardians of their security
Nonetheless, the complaints also have a positive effect
They facilitate talks that seek to encourage collaboration between the public
and police officers to minimize unnecessary use of force
For instance, Fox News shows a human rights activist undergoing a simulated
exercise where he plays as the officer and a second actor plays as an
aggressive suspect (Fox10, 2015)
At the end of the exercise, the activist confessed that it is hard for police not to
use force when faced with aggression. Therefore, he urges the public to
comply with police commands to avoid force being used on them
Kevin Hermes:
criminal offenders...
Kevin Hermes:
increase...
USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS
6
References
Callaway, M., Sjoelin, L., & Skelbaek-Pedersen, S. (Directors). (2011). Rational Choice
Theory: The Economics of Crime [Motion Picture].
Fox10 (Director). (2015). Activist Ceritical of Police Undergoes Use of Force Scenarios
[Motion Picture].
Swope, R. E. (2001). Criminal Theory on the Street: Analyzing Why Offenses Take Place.
Law and Order, 49(5), 121-132.
Kevin Hermes:
critical...
Kevin Hermes:
This is more a news report video, or short documentary, not a full motion picture.
Kevin Hermes:
Criminal theory on the street: Analyzing why offenses take place. Note only the first word within a title is capitalized. This is proper APA format as odd as it may seem. Look at the examples I provide within the announcement section.
Comments & Markups
Page 2
forces or departments...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
officers
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Yes! Try to locate within your state's statutes if it oulines when a police officer is legally justified to use necessary force to affect an arrest.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Excellent! This clearly shows that you are examining both sides.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
criminological theories...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Page 3
Page 3
shows...reveals... suggests...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
might is the key word here.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
No, it does not. see my comments in general feedback.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
it's or it is...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
yes
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Page 4
this is a bit choppy, not clearly stated.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Also fear of termination or criminal prosectuion. This is a very real fear among the police today.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Page 5
criminal offenders...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
increase...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Page 6
critical... critical...
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
This is more a news report video, or short documentary, not a full motion picture.
Kevin Hermes - 29 days ago
Criminal theory on the street: Analyzing why offenses take place. Note only the first word within a title is capitalized. This is proper APA format as odd as it may seem. Look at the examples I provide within the announcement section.
)4-1 MILESTONE,LITERATURE)
Comments & Markups
Page 2
Excellent
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
Page 3
Excellent stats!
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
Oops!
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
Page 4
encounters
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
Page 5
Do not place title References in bold
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
Only the first letter of the first word of the title should be capitalized, all other remaining words within the title shall be in lower case. As odd as it appears, this is proper APA format.
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
volume number should be in italics.
Kevin Hermes - 13 days ago
title of publication should be in italics.
Your paper is written so well that it left me wanting more. Your sources are outstanding and support your final project exceptionally well. You offer an excellent balance of qualitative and quantitative data.
There are a few minor adjustments that are required within your Reference section, nothing major. Makes these minor adjustments and you will be well on your way toward an outstanding final project. Please see my comments within your paper. I am very much looking forward to reading your final work.
(5-1 Final Project Milestone Three: Methodology)
Page 3
How did citations and references support the validity of the research?
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
expand...
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
this is good.
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
a bit awkward here
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
Page 4
expand upon
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
a bit awkward here...
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
OK, but expand upon.
how?
Kevin Hermes - 8 days ago
Page 5
how?
Overall, you did a great job with a somewhat complex assignment. You hit all the necessary points as indicated within the assignment guidelines. I wish you had expanded on some main points more, you were so close. You left me wanting more in the areas of validity issues within some of your sources and ethical considerations within some of your sources.
There are some choppy or awkward phrases here and there. I think they are mere typos. Overall, you write well. If you read aloud, this will allow you to detect these awkward areas more easily so that you can make any necessary corrections.
By no means did you do poorly in this paper, you achieved an A. But, please take note of my comments throughout your paper in addition to comments regarding APA formatting.