Black Lives Matter: Police Militarization and Misconduct

• In Event: Activism and Criminal Justice

Abstract

The development of the Black Lives Matter movement resulted result from the growing prevalence of police violence against young black men as well as the notoriety and seemingly apparent racist and or negligent behavior of police in the shooting death of Michael Brown, the choking death of Eric Garner, and the death of Freddie Gray in police custody. This research explores the inception of the Black Lives Matter movement against the backdrop of police violence and misconduct by examining Department of Justice investigations and consent decrees issued for law enforcement agencies as well as the militarization of police forces across the country.

Authors

• Ivan Benitez, Morehead State University

• Rebecca Katz, Morehead State University