National Data Sources on Police Assault: A Systematic Review and Comparative Analysis

• In Event: Police Training: Mental Health and Stress

Abstract

Law enforcement safety represents a critical public policy issue in the United States and motivates a growing body of academic research on the causes and consequences of assaults on officers. While several national databases have been developed to capture information on the frequency and circumstances of assaults, problems that lead to underreporting, missing data, and inaccurate information persist. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy and comprehensiveness of all contemporary national datasets on police assaults to identify their relative limitations and potential for use in this area of research. The study presents an overview of datasets utilized in national-level research on police assaults, as identified by a systematic literature review since 1960. Next, a quantitative analysis of all contemporary national datasets assesses the differences and similarities in temporal trends and situational information. The results identify limitations of contemporary data and opportunities to enhance data capacity to facilitate high-quality and translational research.

Authors

• Annette Rivera, Florida State University

• Keller Sheppard, Florida State University