Examining the Prevalence of Deaths from Police Use of Force

[halfback20]

A study from Richard Johnson Ph.D. in the Criminal Justice program at Toledo.

 

It's a slideshow with some very interesting facts.

 

http://www.slideshare.net/mobile/robertsearfoss33/police-lethal-forcepresentation?from_m_app=android

[halfback20]

Desktop link

 

[halfback20]

"The data consisted of all 56,259 homicides that were discovered between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2012."

 

"Of the 56,259 homicides from 2009-2012, 1,491 were the result of police use of force.

 

• By comparison during that same time period:

– 755 were the result of negligent accident homicides (i.e., child playing with a gun)

– 1,120 were justifiable homicides by citizens acting in self-defense

– 52,893 were criminal homicides (murders)"

[halfback20]

This suggests yearly averages of:

– 372 persons killed each year by police use of force

 

• Compare this to these additional averages:

– 35,900 persons killed each year in the U.S. in motor vehicle accidents*

– 38,364 persons commit suicide in the U.S. each year**

– 373 persons are struck by lightning in the U.S. each year*** *

[halfback20]

Prevalence of Police-Related KillingsPrevalence of Police-Related Killings

 

• As the U.S. population is 316,128,839 persons, here are annual percentages:

 

– 0.012% of the U.S. population committed suicide last year

 

– 0.011% of the U.S. population died in a vehicle crash last year

 

– 0.004% of the U.S. population died in a criminal homicide last year

 

– 0.00012% of the U.S. population died from police use of force last year

 

– 0.00012% of the U.S. population was struck by lightning last year

 

– 0.00009% of the U.S. population was legally killed by a private citizen in self-defense last year

 

People are 103 times more likely to commit suicide, 97 times more likely to be killed in a vehicle crash, and 34 times more likely to be murdered by a criminal than they are to die from police use of force.

[halfback20]

I'll let you all check the rest out for yourselves.

[plantmanky]

This suggests yearly averages of:

– 372 persons killed each year by police use of force

 

• Compare this to these additional averages:

– 35,900 persons killed each year in the U.S. in motor vehicle accidents*

– 38,364 persons commit suicide in the U.S. each year**

– 373 persons are struck by lightning in the U.S. each year*** *

 

38,364 suicides every year wow.

[Jim Schue]

38,364 suicides every year wow.

 

We have more than a couple every year in Nelson County. At least a few more that aren't reported as a suicide.

[Jumper_Dad]

38,364 suicides every year wow.

 

We have more than a couple every year in Nelson County. At least a few more that aren't reported as a suicide.

I bet there are far more than that Jim. There are more than a couple in this county each month...but none ever make the news so no one thinks they are happening. I don't think they necessarily need to be reported either, just pointing out that most people around here at least, have no clue how many there are.

[halfback20]

 

38,364 suicides every year wow.

 

There's more interesting facts in the link

[AverageJoesGym]

This article has the number of police killings at already over 500 for the year. It also details how the record keeping of civilian deaths at the hands of police (justified or not) has been incomplete.

The Counted: number of people killed by police this year reaches 500 | US news | The Guardian

[theguru]

This article has the number of police killings at already over 500 for the year. It also details how the record keeping of civilian deaths at the hands of police (justified or not) has been incomplete.

The Counted: number of people killed by police this year reaches 500 | US news | The Guardian

 

Do you think it is a nationwide conspiracy by American police departments to cover up the killing of citizens?

[AverageJoesGym]

Do you think it is a nationwide conspiracy by American police departments to cover up the killing of citizens?

 

Not at all. I just don't think that an effective tracking system has ever been set up. Since the vast majority of all deaths at the hands of police are justified I don't think anyone saw the need to list them as a seperate category.

[theguru]

Not at all. I just don't think that an effective tracking system has ever been set up. Since the vast majority of all deaths at the hands of police are justified I don't think anyone saw the need to list them as a spate category.

 

Fair enough.

 

Police use of force is a super duper important issue and something we all need to pay attention to but as I believe HB20 is correctly pointing out, if all the cop haters really wanted to make a difference in this world there are much much more effective crusades they could take up.

[AverageJoesGym]

Fair enough.

 

Police use of force is a super duper important issue and something we all need to pay attention to but as I believe HB20 is correctly pointing out, if all the cop haters really wanted to make a difference in this world there are much much more effective crusades they could take up.

 

Just because someone questions police tactics does not make them a police hater. I feel as though it is important in this time of shrinking civil liberties to question authority and the use of force.