A Coalition of Contradictions: Opposition to Body-Worn Cameras

• In Event: Perspectives on Technology in Criminal Justice

Abstract

One pillar of Obama’s Task Force on 21st-century policing was the adoption of technologies, including body-worn cameras (BWCs), which have emerged as the vanguard of modern police reform. Though the public strongly favors BWCs, nuances exist, requiring investigation into who remains unconvinced of the technology’s potential for reform and why. Drawing on a national survey from 2016, we assess the influence of racial identities and perceptions of the police on support for BWCs. We employ a critical-legal framework to understand the relevance of race, crime concerns, and perceptions of racial bias in policing. Our findings indicate strong public backing for BWCs. However, Black respondents, compared to White respondents, are more opposed to BWCs and are skeptical that the technology will improve public and police behavior. Moreover, viewing the police as occupying and excelling within a crime protection role decreases support for BWCs and the belief that BWCs will improve public or police behavior. Lastly, those who view police killings of Blacks as isolated incidents oppose BWCs and think they will not change the public’s behavior. These findings underscore the importance of contextualizing BWCs within wider debates on the convergence of police reform, racial justice, and democratic ideals of transparency and trust.

Authors

• Ermus St. Louis, Northeastern University

• Christian Elijah Law, Northeastern University

• Kevin Drakulich, Northeastern University