Citation

Jones JM. J. Soc. Iss. 2017; 73(4): 872-883.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/josi.12252

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This concluding article situates the police violence against persons of color in an historical context, suggesting that the current wave of killings replicates historical trends. A social science explanation is proposed to better understand the antecedents and consequences of police violence. A major strength of the articles in this volume is their delineation of causes of police violence and their consequences. The underlying and recurring explanation for police violence is stereotypical racial attitudes and their behavioral consequences. Effects of police violence extend beyond immediate victims to include communities of color. Comparisons with European police suggest that while lethal actions by police in Europe are far fewer, patterns of brutality and its justification mirror the U.S. context. The problem of police violence against persons of color is multidimensional and complex. This article concludes that there is no easy overarching solution or "fix" to this violence. Rather, each facet must be carefully examined--as this volume has done--and approaches focused on causes and consequences of specific problems should be developed and pursued.

Language: en