Police Use of Force Through a Criminogenic Lens

• In Event: POLWG Panel 5: Police Use of Force and Aggressivity

Abstract

The Theory of Social Disorganization suggests that certain community factors, such as low economic achievement, racial and ethnic homogeneity, and residential mobility, are geographically associated with crime, delinquency, and other social factors. The current study applies social disorganization theory to analyze police use of force data from a large police agency in the American South. Using multi-level analyses, we examine how location, crime, and officer use of force incidents interact to identify both individual and contextual predictors of force frequency and type. Additionally, we assess the strengths and limitations of social disorganization theory in explaining individual actions and explore alternative theoretical frameworks. Finally, we test the applicability of Burgees and Park’s concentric zone model (1925) in understanding patterns of police use of force.

Authors

• Brian Lawton, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Hyeyoung Lim, The University of Alabama at Birmingham