No racial bias in police shootings, new study finds

[Naxere]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/up...ings.html?_r=0

A new study confirms that black men and women are treated differently in the hands of law enforcement. They are more likely to be touched, handcuffed, pushed to the ground or pepper-sprayed by a police officer, even after accounting for how, where and when they encounter the police.

But when it comes to the most lethal form of force — police shootings — the study finds no racial bias.

“It is the most surprising result of my career,” said Roland G. Fryer Jr., the author of the study and a professor of economics at Harvard. The study examined more than a thousand shootings in 10 major police departments, in Texas, Florida and California.

He and a group of student researchers spent about 3,000 hours assembling detailed data from police reports in Houston; Austin, Tex.; Dallas; Los Angeles; Orlando, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and four other counties in Florida.

They examined 1,332 shootings between 2000 and 2015, systematically coding police narratives to answer questions such as: How old was the suspect? How many police officers were at the scene? Were they mostly white? Was the officer at the scene for a robbery, violent activity, a traffic stop or something else? Was it nighttime? Did the officer shoot after being attacked or before a possible attack? One goal was to figure out whether police officers were quicker to fire at black suspects.

In officer-involved shootings in these cities, officers were more likely to fire their weapons without having first been attacked when the suspects were white. Black and white civilians involved in police shootings were equally likely to have been carrying a weapon. Both of these results undercut the idea that the police wield lethal force with racial bias.

And in the arena of “shoot” or “don’t shoot,” Mr. Fryer found that, in tense situations, officers in Houston were about 20 percent less likely to shoot a suspect if the suspect was black. This estimate was not very precise, and firmer conclusions would require more data. But, in a variety of models that controlled for different factors and used different definitions of tense situations, Mr. Fryer found that blacks were either less likely to be shot or there was no difference between blacks and whites.

Interesting read. It does say that blacks are more likely to face non-lethal methods of force when confronted by the police as well, but when it comes to lethal use of force blacks were either less likely to be shot or there was no difference between blacks and whites.

[Serpha]

We knew that already, anything new?

[Naxere]

We knew that already, anything new?

We did? That's not the narrative I keep hearing. What I keep hearing is "the police are out there killing black youth, they have a license to kill us, etc."

[Ghostpanther]

We did? That's not the narrative I keep hearing. What I keep hearing is "the police are out there killing black youth, they have a license to kill us, etc."

Just accept it as a false narrative. That is what I do. Works.

[Independent voter]

I don't think the NY Times or the people who did the report have much credibility in the black community.

The guy killed in Baton Rouge is a thug and probably did something to get himself killed. The guy in Minneapolis was killed by a highstrung cop.

[Ghostpanther]

I don't think the NY Times or the people who did the report have much credibility in the black community.

The guy killed in Baton Rouge is a thug and probably did something to get himself killed. The guy in Minneapolis was killed by a highstrung cop.

They have finished that investigation already? WoW, how I miss that?

[Naxere]

More use of violence = more escalation, thus more blacks getting shot.

The most important part is that it confirms the police are much more eager to use violence against people of color.

Well, Stop and Frisk was standard policy in New York for a long while...

[Revi]

Sadly the narrative was never based on anything factual. Trying to defeat it by being factual isn't going to work when the people pushing it are all about stirring up emotions.

[zenkai]

They have finished that investigation already? WoW, how I miss that?

It's amazing isn't how bias these people are, they don't care about facts, they care what feeds their narrative.

- - - Updated - - -

Sadly the narrative was never based on anything factual. Trying to defeat it by being factual isn't going to work when the people pushing it are all about stirring up emotions.

I find there are 2 types of people, those who think with emotion and those who think with logic. Sadly the emotional thinkers are more passionate and are the ones ruining this country.

[GennGreymane]

Why is it when I post a study from the same or similar sources, I am attacked for sample size and other reasons, despite it being statistically fine. Meanwhile we are taking this one at face value

#Greymanestatsmatter

[owbu]

I do feel like americans are kinda missing the point, when they study which color of people their cops shoot way too much much^^
Pretty sure whatever kind of change in training (or whatever the solution is to this problem) is necessary, it will be a plus for everyone. Its not like you need to really be careful that you only stop the right kind of police brutality, so that its fair to everyone^^

Why is it when I post a study from the same or similar sources, I am attacked for sample size, despite it being statistically fine. Meanwhile we are taking this one at face value

Thats because studies that confirm our believes count as an argument that only dumb people would talk back to (they dont even have data!), while studies that disprove our believes are biased, badly designed and probably made by a dumb person.

Like that study on our brain deciding wether or not a study is right or wrong, bevor it even had enough time to read the title to its councious part. Clearly made by a biased dumb person.

[Dug]

It's delusional to think all white cop on black suspect shootings are racially motivated. It's equally delusional to think none of them are ever racially biased

[Ryme]

I find there are 2 types of people, those who think with emotion and those who think with logic. Sadly the emotional thinkers are more passionate and are the ones ruining this country.

Agreed. Probably something to do with how easy it is to feel an emotion rather than a structured thought.

- - - Updated - - -

Fact 1: African-Americans are stopped by police much more often.
Fact 2: African-Americans have violence used against them much more often.
Fact 3: When things escalate they are less likely to get shot.

It's proportionally in line with how much more crime they commit, though: http://www.colorofcrime.com/2016/03/...vised-edition/

Before people get the wrong idea, I do not think that black people are naturally more predisposed to commit crime, but I think we need to have a more honest discussion and realise that there are clearly more serious underlying issues that should be addressed first.

[Nirya]

Sadly the narrative was never based on anything factual. Trying to defeat it by being factual isn't going to work when the people pushing it are all about stirring up emotions.

That's normal business for those kind of people who feed the people lies to push their agenda.

[zenkai]

Absolute bullshit.

The people who think everything is fine with the US police system are the ones lacking logic and the ability to comprehend the facts. You and Revi just skimmed over the fact that the report declares violence is much more likely to be used against black people. The conclusion of this report misses the point when it tries to isolate shootings.

Fact 1: African-Americans are stopped by police much more often.
Fact 2: African-Americans have violence used against them much more often.
Fact 3: When things escalate they are less likely to get shot.

Sadly #3 can not overcompensate for the flaw of #2 and #1, ergo there is much more escalation between black people and the police.

So stop sitting on that pretentious high horse of yours. You've absolutely no background to claim any high ground in logic or reason, on the contrary I'd argue.

I am not race debating you, especially if you're going to ignore facts that some races have a higher rate of committing crimes per person than others. You can't cherry pick your causes without acknowledging reasons. This by no means implies I think anyone of any race deserves to be harassed simply because of their color

It's also shows how think with emotion rather than logic when you assumed that I and others think everything is fine with the US police system, at no point did I say or imply that.

Thank you for proving my point

[nacixems]

Fact 1: African-Americans are stopped by police much more often.
Fact 2: African-Americans have violence used against them much more often.
Fact 3: When things escalate they are less likely to get shot.

.

#1, maybe they commit more crimes , hence why they are stopped more often?
#2 , maybe they are more violent by nature, which is why its needed to control them?
#3 , maybe cause the media has over stated the truth and many others misrepresent the facts, cops are scared to get sued so they dont.

Your.. #facts. just cause you say its a fact, dont make it so, slick. maybe u need to jump off your "High horse" before you start touting others to get off theirs. Hmmmm..

[petej0]

Absolute bullshit.

The people who think everything is fine with the US police system are the ones lacking logic and the ability to comprehend the facts. You and Revi just skimmed over the fact that the report declares violence is much more likely to be used against black people. The conclusion of this report misses the point when it tries to isolate shootings.

Fact 1: African-Americans are stopped by police much more often.
Fact 2: African-Americans have violence used against them much more often.
Fact 3: When things escalate they are less likely to get shot.

Sadly #3 can not overcompensate for the flaw of #2 and #1, ergo there is much more escalation between black people and the police.

So stop sitting on that pretentious high horse of yours. You've absolutely no background to claim any high ground in logic or reason, on the contrary I'd argue.

There arent many who think the Police System is "fine". However if you are going to claim that Police talk about which blacks and how many they should kill during each days roll call, well then, I have no time for you.

Everyone wants to be a damn Monday Morning QB, well, how about this. You go through the training and show us all how its done.

[Naxere]

Absolute bullshit.

The people who think everything is fine with the US police system are the ones lacking logic and the ability to comprehend the facts. You and Revi just skimmed over the fact that the report declares violence is much more likely to be used against black people. The conclusion of this report misses the point when it tries to isolate shootings.

Fact 1: African-Americans are stopped by police much more often.
Fact 2: African-Americans have violence used against them much more often.
Fact 3: When things escalate they are less likely to get shot.

Sadly #3 can not overcompensate for the flaw of #2 and #1, ergo there is much more escalation between black people and the police.

So stop sitting on that pretentious high horse of yours. You've absolutely no background to claim any high ground in logic or reason, on the contrary I'd argue.

Here's some fun facts for you: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, police average about 183,000 interactions with people on a daily basis. About 2.5 of those interactions so far this year have resulted in someone's death. That's about 0.00001%, or 1 in 75,000. You have better odds being killed by a hornet/bee/wasp sting (1:64,000) than being killed by the police.

[GennGreymane]

Here's some fun facts for you: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, police average about 183,000 interactions with people on a daily basis. About 2.5 of those interactions so far this year have resulted in someone's death. That's about 0.00001%, or 1 in 75,000. You have better odds being killed by a hornet/bee/wasp sting (1:64,000) than being killed by the police.

But when you use that logic with Muslims, your a danger to the west!

[Naxere]

But when you use that logic with Muslims, your a danger to the west!

Histronics are the rule of the day.