NCJ Number
178448
Journal
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 1998 Pages: 36-42
Date Published
1998
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews the literature concerning the use of lethal force by police officers, assesses its utility for operational contexts, considers its implications for training, and proposes that new technological devices can revolutionize the identification of crucial variables.
Abstract
After reviewing the relevant research reported in the literature, the authors conclude that it is flawed because of one or more of the following factors: being unrealistic; being based on hypothetical statements; being based on flawed data; lacking sufficient control; lacking systematic manipulation of salient variables; lacking any scientific theory to identify key variables and make specific predictions; and being based on research conducted only in countries where all officers are routinely armed. Given this state of the research, the authors are conducting their own research on police officers' use of lethal force in the United Kingdom. They are using simulators to test a theoretical model they have developed. The theoretical model draws upon and incorporates several theoretical constructs that integrate empirical data from previous shooting behavior experiments and several social-psychological perspectives. The model draws on the theory that the presence of environmental variables (such as high-speed driving, flashing lights, sirens, and shift patterns) result in increased officer arousal, especially if the task is difficult. Zillman suggests that officers can attribute their experienced arousal to two different sources: internal (aggressive intentions of the suspect) and external (imposed environmental factors). The conclusion is that shooting at the suspect is more likely to occur after an internal attribution. The authors current research concerns the effect of high-speed driving, the role of two-tone sirens and blue flashing lights, and the effects of shift patterns on police behaviors in using their weapons. 43 references