The Use of Force in Criminal Justice addresses the how, why, and when of utilizing force against citizens in a democracy. This is the first true textbook on this topic, offering students and instructors a balanced, research-based approach to understanding the use of force in law enforcement, as well as in corrections and juvenile justice. Hough includes features to reinforce key concepts, including "What-Why," "Try This," "Going Global," and "Research Results" boxes. The Use of Force in Criminal Justice combines academic and practitioner perspectives, making the book well-suited for undergraduate and graduate courses in criminal justice as well as professional training and executive education. The text is accompanied by online resources such as PowerPoints, lesson notes, and a test bank. The Use of Force in Criminal Justice is an invaluable aid for force trainers, risk managers, and attorneys who must understand the research on force and force issues rather than the rhetoric of individual anecdotes and personal system-of-force concepts. ​

Provides a critical understanding and evaluation of police tactics and the use of force Police violence has historically played an important role in shaping public attitudes toward the government. Community trust and confidence in policing have been undermined by the perception that officers are using force unnecessarily, too frequently, or in problematic ways. The use of force, or harm suffered by a community as a result of such force, can also serve as a flashpoint, a spark that ignites long-simmering community hostility. In Evaluating Police Uses of Force, legal scholar Seth W. Stoughton, former deputy chief of police Jeffrey J. Noble, and distinguished criminologist Geoffrey P. Alpert explore a critical but largely overlooked facet of the difficult and controversial issues of police violence and accountability: how does society evaluate use-of-force incidents? By leading readers through answers to this question from four different perspectives—constitutional law, state law, administrative regulation, and community expectations—and by providing critical information about police tactics and force options that are implicated within those frameworks, Evaluating Police Uses of Force helps situate readers within broader conversations about governmental accountability, the role that police play in modern society, and how officers should go about fulfilling their duties.

Publisher Description

Starting with a historical introduction, Police Use of Force presents readers with critical and timely issues facing police and the communities they serve when police encounters turn violent.

A team of expert contributors provides an in-depth exploration of police use of force, firearms, and less-than-lethal weapons from a dozen countries across five continents. Police Use of Force: A Global Perspective is a fascinating, international exploration of police use of force, firearms, and less-than-lethal weapons in nations around the world. The book is comprised of three sections: the first focuses on the use of force generally, the second explores firearms and deadly force, and the final section considers less-than-lethal weapons, including pepper spray, TASERs, and other emerging technologies currently on the horizon. The essays gathered here will provide readers with an understanding of the vast differences in how police use force in various countries, as well as why police use force differently under different forms of government. Topics covered include use-of-force definitions, training procedures, policy issues, abuse of police authority, use of force during interrogations, and the use of firearms by armed and unarmed police forces. Finally, there is an essay focusing on how shooting and killing a suspect impacts an officer in the months and years that follow.

The now-famous videotape of the beating of Rodney King precipitated a national outcry against police violence. Skolnick and Fyfe, two of the nation's top experts on law enforcement, use the incident to introduce a revealing historical analysis of such violence and the extent of its survival in law enforcement today.

This brief presents a study addressing the impact of a college degree upon officer use of force. The average American municipal police academy only requires 26 weeks of training, despite previous studies showing overwhelming support that college educated police officers apply more discretion in their use of force than officers without a college degree. Taking into account contemporary public/police conflicts and how American perceptions of police are based largely on officer use of force, this study offers a more current perspective on the profession’s changing dynamic over the past decade. With data gathered from over 400 officers from 143 distinct municipal police agencies in 6 American states, the study examines the association between a college education and the level of force used to gain compliance during arrest situations, and notes discrepancies between previously studied factors and contextual variables. This brief will be useful for researchers of policing and for those involved with police training.