@article{ref1,
title="Less lethal weapons: a technologist's perspective",
journal="Policing (Bradford)",
year="2007",
author="Downs, Raymond L.",
volume="30",
number="3",
pages="358-384",
abstract="Purpose - To provide a comprehensive picture of the wide range of technical, operational, and management issues that must be considered when developing, acquiring or using less lethal weapons for law enforcement agencies.Design/methodology/approach - The source of the insights provided in this paper come from a careful reading and critique of the less lethal technology literature and the organization of and participation in many less lethal weapon technology conferences, technical working groups, and peer review panels.Findings - The essential attributes of less lethal weapons for law enforcement applications are described as well as the many practical considerations that must be made when acquiring and using them.Practical implications - This review should help law enforcement and corrections agencies make more informed decisions on the acquisition and deployment of less lethal weapons and should also be a useful starting point for weapon developers.Originality/value - Scientists and engineers seeking to develop new or improved less lethal weapons for law enforcement will benefit from having in one source a basic insight into the complexities and challenges of producing a successful less lethal weapon. Non-technical professionals will gain a greater understanding of the difficulty in producing less lethal weapons that are both very effective and very safe, but also affordable and practical.<p />",
language="",
issn="1363-951X",
doi="10.1108/13639510710778796",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13639510710778796"
}