Cops, Cameras, and Crisis by Michael D. White Aili Malm

Author:Michael D. White, Aili Malm [Michael D. White, Aili Malm]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Criminology
ISBN: 9781479831579
Google: TkWODwAAQBAJ
Publisher: NYU Press
Published: 2020-02-25T03:21:56+00:00

SOCIETAL CULTURE

Societal culture often can play an influential role in diffusion of an innovation. Laws, values, and norms can either facilitate or hinder the adoption patterns of an innovation. There are two aspects of culture that are especially relevant for examination of technology in policing. The first is the court system. The courts play a critical role through examination of cases that establish the parameters of BWC policy and practice. For example, the Boston police union filed an injunction in federal court to stop the leadership’s planned rollout of BWCs.72 The courts have also ruled on a range of controversial issues, such as the public release of footage,73 the implications of failure to record an encounter or the deletion of video prior to a court case,74 and whether BWC deployments must be negotiated as part of collective bargaining between the department and the officers’ union.75 The courts are also “consumers” of BWC footage, as the evidentiary value of cameras has implications for the processing and adjudication of criminal cases. The successful integration of BWC footage into court-case processing (by prosecutors and defense) will certainly influence the technology’s rate of diffusion.

The second aspect of culture relevant for BWCs involves citizens’ beliefs about the technology. What do citizens think about police BWCs? A number of studies have shown that citizens’ support for BWCs is high, both among the general population and among citizens who have BWC-recorded encounters with police.76 For example, White and colleagues conducted interviews with 279 citizens who had recent encounters with Tempe (Arizona) police officers and found high levels of acceptance: more than 90 percent of citizens agreed or strongly agreed that BWCs should be worn by all Tempe officers; nearly 80 percent agreed or strongly agreed that BWCs would make officers behave more professionally and citizens act more respectfully; and 84 percent agreed or strongly agreed that the benefits of BWCs outweigh the costs.77 Similarly positive results have been reported among citizens who were recorded by police in Spokane (Washington),78 Anaheim (California),79 and Arlington (Texas).80 Citizens’ support for BWCs is likely to fuel the continued diffusion of the technology in policing. The diffusion of innovations framework helps us answer three of the questions posed at the beginning of this chapter, but to understand whether BWCs have been successful and how this real or perceived success will impact the future of the technology in policing, we turn to evidence-based policing.

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