Police Use of Force and Suspect Injury: The Mediating Role of Drug and Alcohol Intoxication

• In Event: Police Use of Force and the Media

Abstract

Research suggests that police are more likely to use force against intoxicated versus sober suspects. However, a major limitation of this body of literature is that, aside from alcohol, the behavioral effects of specific illicit drugs are rarely considered. This is problematic because different types of drugs elicit different responses in users, differences that are exacerbated during stressful encounters. Thus, the nature and consequences of police-suspect encounters are likely to vary according to the type of substance(s) actively used by suspects. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the association between police use of force and suspect injury outcomes as mediated by suspect intoxication. To answer this question, we use data from the nationally representative 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities (SISFCF). A benefit of using this survey is it includes detailed measures of police use of force, suspect injury outcomes, and suspect intoxication along with a host of controls that could confound these associations (e.g., mental health, suspect weapon possession, number of police, etc.). Policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Eric L. Sevigny, Georgia State University

• Robert J. Kaminski, University of South Carolina

• Andrea Allen, Clayton State University