Understanding Police Shootings From a Sociological View

Police Shooting Incidents Cities across the United States have experienced numerous incidents of police misconduct, which occur several times in every decade, particularly when a high profile case takes place. Actually, police misconduct including police shooting has always been exposed by high profile cases, which highlight some forms of police abuse and violation of human rights.

While police officers are mandated with the task of making several decisions and taking necessary actions in protecting the society, they sometimes use force irresponsibly and end up hurting the people they are supposed to protect. In the past few months, there have been increased incidents of police shooting, which can be effectively examined and understood through a sociological perspective. The Phenomenon of Police Shooting The increased cases of police shooting in the past few months are not a new phenomenon that has been highlighted by increased media coverage.

This case of increased shooting of people by police officers is primarily an example of police misconduct that usually takes place in every decade throughout the history of law enforcement. Generally, policing is a distinctive profession or occupation with characteristics that provide opportunity for deviant behavior since these officers enjoy many freedoms that are not granted to ordinary citizens and residents (Chappell & Piquero, 2004, p.90). Some of these freedoms include use of force, speeding, and seizing property.

Moreover, these officers have occupational justifications in cases where such behavior and freedoms are questioned. Therefore, the increased shooting of people by the police is an example of how these officers capitalize on their occupational freedoms, especially use of force, to carry out illegal actions. This is not a new phenomenon but something entrenched in the nature of this occupation or profession. Race or Ethnicity as a Factor in Police Shooting The recent cases of police shooting in the United States have seemingly been fueled by race or ethnicity.

According to recent statistics, the number of individuals killed by police officers in the recent past has increased by more than 30% despite the significant decrease in the number of police officers assaulted or murdered while at work. When these statistics are adjusted-based for populations, it is quite evident that black people or African-Americans were twice as likely to be shot and murdered by police as compared to other races, especially white people. In addition, black people are disproportionally more likely to become suspects in violent crimes (Poturalski, Sweigart & Tucker, 2014).

These statistics demonstrate that race or ethnicity is a factor in police shooting. The role of race as a factor in police officer related shooting of civilians, especially innocent people emerges from the racial bias that still permeates numerous aspects of the American society. Racial bias seemingly influences the decisions and actions of police officers who unfairly target some races in comparison to others. Therefore, addressing police shootings of civilians requires examination of racial inequities and bias prevalent in the American society.

Forms of Deviance that Provoke Lethal Responses Most of the recent cases of police shootings across various cities in the United States have seemingly been fueled by racial bias with relatively no form of deviance that would provoke the police to use force. For instance, federal data in the aftermath of high-profile police shootings in Ferguson, Cleveland, and Beavercreek shows that the victims in each of these incidents were black and unarmed or carrying non-lethal weapons.

These people were seemingly shot on the premise of being black rather than being in possession of harmful or lethal weapons that could provoke lethal responses from the police. However, there are some forms of deviance that seemingly provoke lethal responses from police officers. One of these forms of deviance that act as provocation for lethal responses from law enforcement officers is violent crime, which is more common in some American cities.

Moreover, officers are provoked to use force when suspects become violent or initiate violent confrontation when they come into contact with law enforcement agencies. An example of a violent confrontation that led to use of lethal response by police is the shooting of Officer John Moynihan by Angelo West, a suspect who pulled a gun and shot the officer (CBS Interactive, 2014). The other incident is the violent confrontation between Officer Richard Donohue and two suspects i.e. Tamerlan and Tsarnaev. Hawaii v.

Cities on the Mainland While police shootings have become prevalent in several cities and states in the United States, Hawaii has been relatively non-violent. Actually, Hawaii has remained largely non-violent in comparison to cities on the mainland with regards to police shooting incidents. The main reason Hawaii is relatively non-violent as compared to the other mainland cities is because of its tough gun control policies.

As a may issue state, local rather than state law enforcement officers in Hawaii determine whether or not residents exercise their protected rights to bear arms. Moreover, the state does not honor a hidden carry permit from any other state, which helps in reducing violent crime. Through these laws, Hawaii effectively reduces risk factors i.e. violent crime and violent confrontation that contribute to police shootings (Farago, 2013). From a racial perspective, which has fueled most of the recent police shootings, Hawaii has a minimal population of Black or African-American people.

Therefore, the minimal number of black people or African-Americans could be a factor in non-violence in Hawaii given that race is a factor in recent cases of police shootings. Deviance and Social Control As evident in the case of Hawaii, social control is a major aspect in addressing police shootings because it helps address deviance and other aspects that contribute to such incidents. Generally, social control refers to tools and initiatives for preventing deviant human behavior through respecting and embracing basic social norms (Deviance and Social Control, n.d.).

Social control should not only be utilized in regulating human behavior but should also be used in regulating the behaviors of police officers. These officers should be socialized in a manner through which they comply with the dominant standards of law enforcement culture. This process would entail establishing policies to govern their actions and using legal measures to handle any breach of these policies.

Social Justice Even though some police officers have abused their freedoms to use lethal force, it is still right to put people in a position where they use lethal force. However, this should entail defining the limits and extent of the use of such freedoms in order to promote and ensure social justice. The criteria that must be met to justify the use of lethal force by police officers include violent.