Despite increased attention on police violence following high-profile cases like the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, researchers and experts indicate that the problem has not subsided. A study from 2021 found that Black victims of police killings were less likely to have mental illness, less likely to be armed, and more likely to be fleeing compared to white victims. Despite public outcry, the officer who shot Brown was not indicted, and data over the past decade has shown no increase in charges brought against officers involved in fatal shootings.
Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor, has been tracking cases of officers charged with murder or manslaughter resulting from on-duty shootings since 2005. While prosecutors have taken up more cases in recent years, Stinson notes that the number of charges is inflated by multiple officers being charged over the same incident. Overall, Stinson concludes that there has been no statistically significant change in officers being charged for on-duty shootings.
Data from the Mapping Police Violence database, maintained by Campaign Zero, shows that documented police killings have increased in recent years. Over 790 people have been killed by law enforcement so far this year, the highest count recorded to date. The Washington Post’s database has shown similar trends.
In summary, despite efforts for police reform, police violence continues to be a significant issue in the United States, with no substantial changes in the number of officers charged or the number of fatal shootings by police.
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