Report on use of force incident by city of Asheville police officer

When video of this incident was first released i thought it was a perfect example of a “gray area” incident. A gray area incident is the type of incident that goes downhill or takes a wrong turn and becomes more serious that it should have been. It is initiated by an uncooperative suspect or an overzealous officer. Sometimes it is a little of each. In addition to the officer and suspect the issue usually becomes more convoluted by politics, by a district attorney tests the direction of the wind before rendering a decision, and by judges making decisions to satisfy the loudest complaints and not for justice.

Review the material below and tell me what you think.

A report commissioned by the city of Asheville criticizes two Asheville police officers for not intervening when a then city police officer was beating and choking an unarmed black pedestrian last August

Links to the report Policy and Procedure Review Related to the Rush Incident” and links to earlier news reports.

http://www.bpr.org/post/report-apd-officers-should-have-intervened-rush-beating-didnt

News report and links to the video from body worn cameras

http://www.bpr.org/post/additional-body-cam-footage-rush-beating-released

Charges against Officer Chris Hickman

http://www.bpr.org/post/update-former-asheville-police-officer-charged-august-beating

NRF/University of Florida survey says retail ‘shrink’ decreased to $46.8 billion in 2017 | National Retail Federation

NRF/University of Florida Survey Finds Retail ‘Shrink’ Decreased to $46.8 Billion in 2017
— Read on nrf.com/media/press-releases/nrfuniversity-of-florida-survey-says-retail-shrink-decreased-468-billion-2017

Retail theft is significant for increasing prices for consumers and retail related crimes handled by law enforcement like shoplifting.

The report is available HERE

Getting shot isn’t random | Modern Policing

This post reports an epidemiological study of 763 people injured or killed by gunfire in Seattle between 2010 and 2014. Compared to individuals hurt in crashes, gunshot victims (whether in a crime, accident, suicide, or by police) were more likely to have recent substance abuse, mental disorder, and arrest histories. Looking specifically at those shot…
— Read on gcordner.wordpress.com/2018/08/25/getting-shot-isnt-random/

The research article is available HERE

The Other Side of “Broken Windows” | The New Yorker

Eric Klinenberg writes on a research experiment, conducted by John MacDonald and Charles Branas, centered on abandoned buildings and lots in Philadelphia, which suggests that restoring spaces could help prevent crime.
— Read on www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-other-side-of-broken-windows

MacDonald and Branas’ article is available here

East Pittsburgh considers dissolving police force after Antwon Rose shooting | TribLIVE

Are police departments one serious event away from extinction?

East Pittsburgh officials are considering dissolving the borough’s police force after one of its officers fatally shot an unarmed teen in June, Council President Dennis …
— Read on triblive.com/local/allegheny/13997067-74/east-pittsburgh-officials-consider-dissolving-police-force

“The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society” 50 years old!!!

There is a great deal of excitement for the 50th year of The President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice better known as “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society”.  To get a more complete understanding of the commission and it’s impact on Crime, Justice, and Policing I am trying to compile a list of useful resources. 

 

Digital copy of The President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice:  “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society”

This was the smallest digital file I have found, it loads quickly.

This report has been called the guiding document for the modern Criminal Justice System.  It is interesting to hear and read about the committee’s findings and how it influenced the Criminal Justice System.

Link:  https://www.themarshallproject.org/documents/2461070-the-challenge-of-crime-in-a-free-society

 

Below is a list and links to publications and videos that review the recommendations from President Lyndon Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice.    This is a short list I found.  Please feel free to make suggestions for any additional material that would be useful.

 

Symposium 2017 | The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society: 50 Years Later

The George Washington Law Review

“This Symposium marks the 50th Anniversary of the report by President Lyndon Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society.” Led by Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, the Commission compiled comprehensive data on crime in the United States, discussed the salient issues confronting the criminal justice system, and provided recommendations to address these problems.”

“Now, fifty years later, our society continues to face many of the same obstacles to an effective and fair criminal justice system. At a time when there is bipartisan consensus that criminal justice reform is necessary, revisiting “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society” will provide insights into how to address those questions. Inspired by the focus of the report, the Symposium will examine the essential issues of courts and procedure, technology, policing, corrections and sentencing, prosecution, the War on Drugs, and juvenile justice. The focus will be the future of the criminal justice system and what steps can be taken to achieve reform.”

Link:  https://www.gwlr.org/symposia/symposium-2017-the-challenge-of-crime-in-a-free-society-50-years-later/

 

CRIMINOLOGY & Public Policy

May 2018,  Volume 17, Issue 2 pages 261 – 511

“Progress and Prospects—The 50th Anniversary of the 1967 President’s Crime Commission Report in Today’s Criminal Justice Environment”

A series of articles on the progress (or lack of progress) for the President’s Commission on Law Enforcements Administration of Justice.  “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17459133/17/2

 

10 year review

Reexamining the President’s Crime Commission “The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society after Ten Years”

Article in:  Crime & Delinquency 24(1):1-12 · January 1978 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001112877802400101

 

30 year review

“The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society: Looking Back Looking Forward”

Symposium on the 30th Anniversary of the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/170029.pdf

 

The 40th Anniversary of the Crime Report

by Thomas E. Feucht, Ph.D., and Edwin Zedlewski, Ph.D.

About the Authors

Dr. Feucht is the deputy director for research and evaluation and Dr. Zedlewski is the associate deputy director for research and evaluation at the National Institute of Justice.

Editor’s Note: More than four decades ago, the President of the United States established the Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice to examine public safety in the United States. An overarching question guided its work: What should be the role of the Federal Government in fighting crime and enhancing public safety? That question remains as important today as it was then. The Commission’s answers form the history, character, and mission of today’s National Institute of Justice and its sister bureaus in the Office of Justice Programs.[1] On the 40th anniversary of the Commission’s seminal report, The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society,[2] the Journal asked two of the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) most senior researchers to commemorate the leadership and vision of the President’s Crime Commission and to celebrate the accomplishments of NIJ’s State and local criminal justice and research partners.

https://nij.gov/journals/257/Pages/40th-crime-report.aspx

This is a .pdf of the NIJ Journal:  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/jr000257.pdf

Cape Up podcasts

I just discovered “Cape Up” podcasts.   I listened to: ‘We think prison is the only way to hold people accountable when they break the law’ and it was terrific.  It was very well done.  Covered a timely and interesting topic.  The guest was excellent.  

This is Johnathon Capehart’s blog

Cape Up ‘We think prison is the only way to hold people accountable when they break the law’

The Podcast is available here.  On one computer I couldn’t play the podcast from the webpage so I had to play it using TuneIn.com (which worked perfectly).  On a different computer the podcast played from the webpage.

NIJ’s 50th Anniversary — Looking Back, Looking Forward

This is an EXCELLENT review of the benefit of the NIJ for the last 50 years

“NIJ’s 50th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on how far the Institute has come, as well as its direction and priorities moving forward. In this Research for the Real World event, panelists will speak to the history and future of the Institute, drawing from decades of experience working for and closely with NIJ. Two Former NIJ Directors will reflect on their days heading the agency and their observations on how the agency has changed over time. Two police chiefs will talk about the importance of research to guide policing and the impact NIJ-funded research has had on their work.”

Link to the VIDEO