Preventing Violent Encounters Between Police and Young Black Men: A Comparative Case Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Sociology

Background:

• High-profile events have highlighted persistent issues of police-youth violence, particularly involving young Black men in the U.S.
• Existing violence prevention strategies often lack specific focus on police-youth interactions.
• Understanding stakeholder perceptions is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe perceptions of current police-youth violence prevention policies, programs, and practices.
• To identify existing infrastructures that can support enhanced police-youth violence prevention efforts.
• To explore potential improvements and new strategies for preventing violent encounters between police and young Black men.

Main Methods:

• A 1-year qualitative study conducted in 2017.
• Semi-structured interviews with 48 key stakeholders: young Black men (14-24), parents/educators, police officers, and youth-serving organization staff.
• Data analyzed using content analysis methods to identify policies, evaluate effectiveness, and envision new efforts.

Main Results:

• Stakeholders were aware of general youth violence prevention programs but identified no specific initiatives targeting police-youth violent encounters.
• Perceptions varied significantly across stakeholder groups.
• Young people desired greater police community involvement, while police reported ongoing relationship-building efforts.

Conclusions:

• Current violence prevention efforts are insufficient in addressing the specific issue of violent encounters between police and young Black men.
• Future strategies must explicitly incorporate policies, programs, and practices designed to reduce these specific types of violent encounters.
• There is a need for targeted interventions that bridge the gap between community expectations and police perceptions of engagement.