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. 2021 Mar;67(1-2):142-151.
doi: 10.1002/ajcp.12460. Epub 2020 Sep 4.

The Factors that Motivate Law Enforcement's Use of Force: A Systematic Review

Mariah Cowell  1 , Christopher Corsi  1 , Terence Johnson  1 , Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein  1
Affiliations

The Factors that Motivate Law Enforcement's Use of Force: A Systematic Review

Mariah Cowell et al. Am J Community Psychol. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Media attention relevant to law enforcement use of force in the last decade finally alerted the scientific community to the need for more research regarding law enforcement discretion and decision making. The purpose of this study was to synthesize the existing literature to explore the motivating factors for law enforcement use of force. This study will utilize a social-ecological framework to systematically examine factors that impact officer decisions to use force at the individual and community levels. The paper includes recommendations for research and practice through an equity lens that highlights the disparate use of force against men of color in particular. Interventions, trainings, education, and research to stop the promotion of perceived safety over justice will be highlighted.

Keywords: Discretion; Law enforcement; Police; Police brutality; Social-ecological model; Use of force; Violence.

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