Downstream Effects: The Impact of Police Body-Worn Cameras on Misdemeanor Court Case Processing and Outcomes

• In Event: Evidence-Based Policing in the Western Region - Organized by the Western Society of Criminology

Abstract

Much of the enthusiasm surrounding police body-worn cameras (BWCs) centers on their perceived ability to demonstrate transparency and accountability, as well as their potential to civilize officer and citizen behavior during formal encounters. There has been significantly less attention paid to the evidentiary value of BWCs. With a few exceptions, the impact of BWCs on downstream court case processing and outcomes has not been investigated. In the current study, we examine data from nearly 70,000 misdemeanor cases charged in the municipal city court in Tempe, Arizona between November 1, 2014 and September 30, 2016. The Tempe Police Department participated in a randomized deployment of BWCs to patrol officers in two phases: November 2015 and May 2016. The current study assesses whether the presence of BWC evidence affects the probability of charging and guilty resolution (plea or verdict), as well as time from arrest to disposition. The results shed light on the downstream effects of police BWCs on criminal justice outcomes. This project was carried out as part of an ongoing collaboration between the Tempe Police Department and researchers from Arizona State University to support evidence-based decision-making.

Authors

• Michael D. White, Arizona State University

• Janne E. Gaub, East Carolina University

• Natalie Todak, University of Alabama at Birmingham