After a review of several options, the choice is made to look at and effectively analyze the police brutality against African American men. The issue has over the years generated some controversies within the American society. A large section of the community are of the opinion that men from this racial minority group are at a higher chance of been forcefully arrested, mistreated, and brutally assaulted by law enforcement agents in the country.
Formulate an Interdisciplinary Question
Based on the consistencies of police brutality against African American men and the increased rates at which the action is carried in today’s society, there is need to develop specific questions regarding the prevalence of the issue. The leading research question associated with the issue which will provide vivid direction for this study is itemized below.
What are the prevalence, causes, and effects of police brutality against African American men?
Gather All Relevant Disciplines
Over the years and in recent times, a large number of African American men have wrongfully arrested, brutally assaulted, and some have also been shot dead in the street by law enforcement officers most especially by members of the police force. The actions have continued over time and seemed to become a norm in the US society. To effectively answer the research questions adopted by the study, information would be acquired from the field of statistics, psychology, and sociology. The adoption of the above-noted disciplines is crucial to the success of this study because statisticians provide evidence of the prevalence of the issue. Psychologists provide information regarding effects of this action. Lastly, a sociological perspective would provide valuable insights into the values and norms of the society regarding this act of violence as direct at African American men.
Consider the Problem/Question through the Perspectives of Each Discipline, One at a Time
Statistics
Statistics provides valuable evidence regarding the prevalence of the issue in the United States. Thus with statistical data, it is possible to ascertain the cases of the event and the existent of the problem in the United States.
Sociology
This discipline will provide insights into the causes of police brutality against African American men within the US society.
Psychology
This field of study provides information on the effect of police brutality against African American men, both on the victim, other members of the races and the society as a whole.
Gather Together All the Insights Gained From Each Discipline
According to statistical evidence generated on this issue, there is a high rate of police brutality directed the racial minority in the united states most especially member of the African American communities. Statistical data collected in the united state proves that black American men are at higher risk of being assaulted brutalized and killed by police officers (Chaney & Robertson 2013). Detailed data also uphold the fact the there are higher chances of the adoption of leather force when dealing with criminal cases associated with African Americans. African Americans account for about 13% of the entire US population. However, in 2015, 2016 and 2017, this group of individuals accounted for 26%, 24% and 23% of those who were brutally assaulted and killed by the police (Beer, 2018). The figures are the highest among any other racial groups, thus proving the fact that there is a prevalence of the use of force and excessive brutality directed at these individuals in the society.
It is possible to adequately understand the leading cause of the violence suffered by a large percentage of African American men in the USA forms a Sociological Perspective. Sociologists are of the opinion the many factors such the concept of federalism and separation of power could also serve as some of the reasons behind the extent of the brutality directed at African American men (Worden, 2015). However, based on the result of detailed surveys conducted by experts in this field, other factors identified to be the leading cause of violence perpetrated against African American men includes the nature of training, management, and the culture of a norm of the police force in the United States (Weitzer 2015). The above-noted inconsistencies lead to the development of a judicial system which discourages prosecutors form the pursuance criminal cases against the perpetrators of brutality directed at members of the African American community in the United States, (Desmond, Papachristos, & Kirk, 2016).
Apart from the general factors that instigate this form of violence, there are other specific reasons identified by sociologist as the leading cause of the brutality suffered by African American men in the USA. The factor includes long-standing stereotypes that have been associated with this group of individuals. Over the years it has been vastly believed that a large percentage of African American men are aggressive, violent, and also leading participants in drugs and other forms of criminal activities in the United States, (Fielding 2017). Hence, based on this adverse orientation shared by the society, the members of the American law enforcement agencies make use of aggression and excessive force when dealing with African American men thereby leading to an intense level of brutally (Loseke 2017).
Lastly, other history factors such as slavery and racism are also reason behind the extent of the level of force used by law enforcement agents against African American men. Regardless of the efforts put in place by the US government and other activist to eliminate racism, this factor still serves as a leading cause of the level of violence suffered by African men from the hands of the police and other law enforcement agents in the United States, (Bonilla-Silva, 2017).
Over the years, psychologists have also been able to effective depict the effects of police brutality faced by African men. Although this action in most cases results in physical and bodily harm, psychologists have been able to adequately provide insight into the emotional and psychological effects of this action, (Alang et al. 2017). These professionals are of the opinion that the increased cases of police brutality directed at African men results in an increased level of fear, anxiety, worries, and also a higher likelihood of the development of low self-worth among this group of people, (Jee-Lyn García & Sharif 2015).
Evaluate All the Insights
Base on the level of information attain form the sociological, psychological and statistical point of view regarding police brutality against African American men. There is a need to point out the fact that this issue is a current trend in the American society. The above notion is therefore based on sensibility and validly of the sources accessed for the study.
Fashion an Interdisciplinary Response to the Question
Based on the readings and analysis of various research used for the completion of this study, I believe that brutality against African American men is real and the primary solution to the problem is the enactment of laws to incriminate this acts and the prosecution its perpetrators. Based on my finding, I would like to for ask questions about what the police leadership is doing to eliminate this adverse issue. Given additional research time, I would like know the action taken against previous perpetrators of this brutality both by the state and federal government in the country.
References
Alang, S., McAlpine, D., McCreedy, E., & Hardeman, R. (2017). Police brutality and black
health: setting the agenda for public health scholars. American journal of public health, 107(5), 662-665.
Beer, T. (2018). POLICE KILLING OF BLACKS: Data for 2015, 2016, 2017, and first half of
2018 - Sociology Toolbox. Retrieved from https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/police-killing-of-blacks/
Bonilla-Silva, E. (2017). Racism without racists: Color-blind racism and the persistence of
racial inequality in America. Rowman & Littlefield.
Chaney, C., & Robertson, R. V. (2013). Racism and police brutality in America. Journal of
African American Studies, 17(4), 480-505.
Desmond, M., Papachristos, A. V., & Kirk, D. S. (2016). Police violence and citizen crime
reporting in the black community. American Sociological Review, 81(5), 857-876.
Fielding, N. (2017). The police and social conflict. Routledge-Cavendish.
Jee-Lyn García, J., & Sharif, M. Z. (2015). Black lives matter: a commentary on racism and
public health. American journal of public health, 105(8), e27-e30.
Loseke, D. (2017). Thinking about social problems: An introduction to constructionist
perspectives. Routledge.
Weitzer, R. (2015). American policing under fire: Misconduct and reform. Society, 52(5), 475-
480.
Worden, R. E. (2015). The causes of police brutality: Theory and evidence on police use of
force. Criminal justice theory: Explaining the nature and behavior of criminal justice, 149-204.
