Cops, Cameras, and Crisis: The Potential and the Perils of Police Body-Worn Cameras

by Michael D. White, Aili Malm

Overview

2021 Outstanding Academic Title, Choice Magazine

The first expert and comprehensive analysis of the surprising impact of body-worn cameras

Following the tragic deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and others at the hands of police, interest in body-worn cameras for local, state, and federal law enforcement has skyrocketed. In Cops, Cameras, and Crisis, Michael D. White and Aili Malm provide an up-to-date analysis of this promising technology, evaluating whether it can address today’s crisis in police legitimacy.

Drawing on the latest research and insights from experts with field experience with police-worn body cameras, White and Malm show the benefits and drawbacks of this technology for police departments, police officers, and members of the public. Ultimately, they identify—and assess—each claim, weighing in on whether the specter of being “caught on tape” is capable of changing a criminal justice system desperately in need of reform.

Cops, Cameras, and Crisis is a must-read for policymakers, police leaders, and activists interested in twenty-first-century policing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781479850150
Publisher:	New York University Press
Publication date:	02/25/2020
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Michael D. White (Author)
Michael D. White is Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State Universityand the Associate Director of ASU’s Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. He is co-author of Cops, Cameras, and Crisis: The Potential and the Perils of Police Body-Worn Cameras (2020); Stop and Frisk: The Use and Abuse of a Controversial Policing Tactic (2016); and Jammed Up: Bad Cops, Police Misconduct, and the New York City Police Department (2013).

Aili Malm (Author)
Aili Malm is a Professor in the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Emergency Management at California State University, Long Beach.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

1 Setting the Stage: Innovation, the Current Crisis, and Police Body-Worn Cameras 1

2 Are Body-Worn Cameras a "Silver Bullet" Solution? Research on the Benefits of the Technology 17

3 The Challenges and Limitations of Body-Worn Cameras 50

4 Understanding Body-Worn Camera Adoption: Past, Present, and Future 82

5 Charting a Course for Body-Worn Cameras in the Twenty-First Century 103

Notes 139

Bibliography 153

Index 171

About the Authors 183

Editorial Reviews

"This concise, meticulous, and well-written book provides an extraordinary contribution to the larger policing literature in general and to the literature on police body-worn cameras more specifically. Written in an accessible and scholarly tone, this book provides the reader with a well-balanced history of body-worn cameras, a thorough, rigorous, and unbiased review of the extant empirical research in the area, and a thoughtful list of recommendations for future research. This book should be on the shelf of all academics, researchers, and practitioners interested in the topic, and is well suited for undergraduate and graduate coursework."

Wesley G. Jennings

"Cops, Cameras, and Crisis is a timely and important contribution to understanding a contemporary policing reform effort. It breaks through the rhetoric and provides readers with the empirical realities associated with police body worn cameras. It is a must-read for police researchers and policymakers and practitioners."

Charles M. Katz

"This concise, meticulous, and well-written book provides an extraordinary contribution to the larger policing literature in general and to the literature on police body-worn cameras more specifically. Written in an accessible and scholarly tone, this book provides the reader with a well-balanced history of body-worn cameras, a thorough, rigorous, and unbiased review of the extant empirical research in the area, and a thoughtful list of recommendations for future research. This book should be on the shelf of all academics, researchers, and practitioners interested in the topic, and is well suited for undergraduate and graduate coursework."

" Cops, Cameras, and Crisis is a timely and important contribution to understanding a contemporary policing reform effort. It breaks through the rhetoric and provides readers with the empirical realities associated with police body worn cameras. It is a must-read for police researchers and policymakers and practitioners."

From the Publisher