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Officer safety

NIJ Journal Issue No. 280

Date Published
January 2019
Publication Type
Report (Technical Assistance), Report (Annual/Periodic), Program/Project Description, Instructional Material (Programmed)
Agencies
NIJ

Police-on-Police Shootings and the Puzzle of Unconscious Racial Bias

June 2010

Professor Christopher Stone recently completed a study of police-on-police shootings as part of a task force he chaired in New York State. He reported on his findings and recommendations, exploring the role of race in policing decisions, methods to improve training and tactics to defuse police-on-police confrontations before they become fatal, and methods to improve the investigations of such shootings.

Don't Jump the Shark: Understanding Deterrence and Legitimacy in the Architecture of Law Enforcement

November 2010

Deterrence theory dominates the American understanding of how to regulate criminal behavior but social psychologists' research shows that people comply for reasons that have nothing to do with fear of punishment; they have to do with values, fair procedures and how people connect with one another. Professor Meares discussed the relevance of social psychologists' emerging theory to legal theory and practice and how deterrence and emerging social psychology theories intertwine.

The National Broadband (Communications) Plan: Issues for Public Safety

June 2011

The Federal Communications Commission delivered the National Broadband Plan in March 2010. As part of the plan, the FCC proposed a strategy for implementing a national public safety broadband network that would allow public safety responders anywhere in the nation to send and receive critical voice, video and data to save lives, reduce injuries, and prevent acts of crime and terror. How this strategy is implemented will have a significant impact on criminal justice and other public safety agencies nationwide, both with respect to operational capability and to resources.

Director’s Corner: Responding to Sexual Assaults

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and I want to take this opportunity to reflect upon all the strides we have made to sexual assault response practice as a country, and how the lessons learned, investments, and technological advances have made it possible for the apprehension of more criminals, and for victims of sexual assault to find closure.

While it is important to celebrate victories...

Director’s Corner: Spotlight on NIJ Research at International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference

Next week, law enforcement leadership from around the world will attend the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), in Philadelphia. On Saturday, October 21, NIJ will host our 4th annual Saturday Session around the theme “What Works and What Matters in Policing.”

The session will include three panels bringing together law enforcement and academic experts to discuss officer safety, technology...

Second Progress Report: NIJ's Response to "Strengthening the National Institute of Justice"

Message from NIJ Director John H. Laub in response to the report Strengthening the National Institute of Justice by the Committee on Assessing the Research Program of the National Institute of Justice at the National Research Council.

This page provides updates on our response to the results of an evaluation by The National Academy of Sciences that examined NIJ capacity for meeting the needs of...

The State of the Police Field: A New Professionalism in Policing?

June 2010

Panelists debate the premise of a Harvard Executive Session working paper that suggests police organizations are striving for a "new" professionalism. Leaders are endeavoring for stricter standards of efficiency and conduct, while also increasing their legitimacy to the public and encouraging innovation. Is this new? Will this idea lead to prematurely discarding community policing as a guiding philosophy?

Cell Phones in Prison

June 2010

Criminals are using cell phones illegally in prisons and jails to conduct their business and intimidate witnesses. Although technology solutions to this problem are available, they can create new challenges, such as legal and implementation issues associated with cell phone use in correctional facilities. Panelists will discuss various aspects to consider from how prisoners use cell phones, to day-to-day and operational aspects, to legal and regulatory concerns.

Director's Message: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.

Institutional corrections and, more specifically restrictive housing and other strategies that facilities use to manage and control incarcerated individuals, have become a national priority.

Restrictive housing, commonly known as solitary confinement or administrative segregation, is a common practice in corrections. A recent national...

Officer Safety

Law enforcement officers face many different dangerous and stressful situations in the line of duty. Some, such as gun violence, are obvious; others dangers (e.g., fatigue) are hidden, but common, and can greatly hinder officer performance. Officer performance is also affected by training and other factors.

NIJ supports work to study and improve officer performance and safety on several fronts. For decades, NIJ has been on...