Videos Don't Lie: African Americans' Support for Body-Worn Cameras. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Graham, Amanda; McManus, Hannah D.; Cullen, Francis T.; Burton, Velmer S.; Jonson, Cheryl Lero
• Other Names: Crow Matthew S. guest-editor.; Smykla John Ortiz guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Criminal justice review. Volume 44:Number 3(2019:Sep.)
• Page Start: 284
• Page End: 303
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: body-worn cameras -- police reform -- race and public opinion; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; 345.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016819846229
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-0168

Abstract

In light of growing concern regarding the policing of inner-city communities—including questionable incidents of use of force—equipping officers with body-worn cameras (BWCs) has emerged as a salient proposal for reform. Based on a national-level survey of African Americans ( n = 1, 000), this project shows that wide consensus exists among Black citizens in favor of BWCs. Since ostensibly "videos don't lie, " implementing camera technology thus may be a means to increase police legitimacy. Importantly, the analysis also reveals that African Americans support a broad range of reforms to improve inner-city policing, of which BWCs are only one. Finally, the survey included a subset of 45 Black police officers. These officers also supported BWCs and most other proposed reforms but at a level that was lower and less intense than African American members of the public.