A Conditional Likelihood Model of the Relationship Between Officer Features and Rounds Discharged in Police Shootings

ConclusionsOfficer features appear to have little or no relationship with shooting rate. These findings correspond with police scholars ’ supposition that duty assignment may be more responsible for explaining differences in police use of force than individual officer characteristics. It contrasts with some prior research suggesting that officer race, age at recruitment, and prior performance affect shooting risk. In doing so, the se results also lend support to theoretical frameworks emphasizing the role of organizational features and other system-level factors over individual-level explanations for police use of force. The proposed methodology addresses bias due to confounding, but demands a large number of shootings. Expan ded participation in multi-agency data collections and including data on all non-shooting officers at the scene of the incident can increase precision.
Source: Journal of Quantitative Criminology - Category: Criminology Source Type: research