Author: scott prell

RFK Human Rights Submits Evidence to UN Special Rapporteur of Disproportionate, Deadly Policing in the U.S. – Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Today, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (“RFK Human Rights”), submitted a detailed report to the Special Rapporteur, an independent expert appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, highlighting emerging trends and patterns in U.S. law enforcement’s use of lethal force. 
— Read on rfkhumanrights.org/press/rfk-human-rights-submits-evidence-to-un-special-rapporteur-of-disproportionate-deadly-policing-in-the-u-s/

How Is California Handling Allegations of Police Misconduct? – Public Policy Institute of California

New public data is helping to shed light on California’s current process for addressing reports of police misconduct. We take a look at what this process has yielded since its implementation two years ago.
— Read on www.ppic.org/blog/how-is-california-handling-allegations-of-police-misconduct/

Police spending linked to shorter lives for Black Americans

The article “Police spending linked to shorter lives for Black Americans” discusses a new study that argues increases police spending results in increases police killings and suicide of black males. The article can be accessed HERE and in the article there is a link to the academic article.

It is interesting that the study didn’t include violent crime as a factor in it’s analysis.  It is possible that with the killing of 11,528 black males (2022 see graph below), illustrates the impact that the amount of violent crime in a community could effect deaths and suicides of Black men?

In 2022 police killed 1,201 people.  Of the police killings 26% (about 312) of the killings were of black people (men and females).

My question is – In 2022 what was more dangerous to Black communities in contributing to suicide and deaths?  Was it violent crime with 11,528 homicides of Black men or the police killings of 312 Black individuals?  Homicide of Black men was 36.9 times greater than police killing Black persons.

Neighborhood Disorder – MOST Policy Initiative

Neighborhood disorder includes physical and social disruptions.
Disorder, also referred to as incivility, can refer to a variety of norm violating behaviors and conditions (Skogan 2015). Disorder is often categorized as physical disorder or social disorder. Social disorder refers to potentially threatening behavior from strangers while physical disorder refers to the deterioration of the urban landscape (Sampson and Raudenbush 1999).

Physical disorder in neighborhoods includes (Ndjilia et al 2019):

Broken windows
Trash
Empty bottles
Deteriorated, vacant, or run-down buildings
Graffiti or vandalism
Discarded needles or drug paraphernalia
In contrast, social disorder in neighborhoods includes:

Crime
Public alcohol use
Drug use or trafficking
Unwillingness to help neighbors
Prostitution
Absence of interpersonal relationships
— Read on mostpolicyinitiative.org/science-note/neighborhood-disorder/

How protests over George Floyd’s death led Colorado to rewrite its rules for policing | Aspen Public Radio

As demonstrations swirled around the Capitol five years ago, state lawmakers came together on a sweeping package of reforms that are still playing out.
— Read on www.aspenpublicradio.org/social-justice/2025-05-29/how-protests-over-george-floyds-death-led-colorado-to-rewrite-its-rules-for-policing