Policing in American Cities: An Empirical Studies

The cities of the United States have had respective policing institutions since their inception and they act quite independently where the federal government can play very little in managing its issue. Nationally over the years policing due to bad handling of public complaints which got the name "police brutality"--which also took place in different cities. Eric Garner, a 43-year-old black man died on July 17, 2014, on the street of Staten Island, New York when the police were trying to arrest him for selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps. Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old black man died due to a police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. Similarly, George Floyd's death place in the street city of Minneapolis. Life 9-minute footage of George Floyd's death was not a single phenomenon of American City Policing similar incident took place in 1991 in Los Angeles where four LAPD officers had done similar acts against an African-American motorist that was videotaped and telecast. Turning brutality against African Americans has become quite a recurring phenomenon in many cities of America. In American cities, some police due to lack of proper training act brutally "police brutality" in general has become a part of criminal justice textbook material. Currently, our aim is to study the law enforcement agency like city police departments of the Commonwealth of Virginia. For that matter, you have carried out a couple of different inquiries now you have to write a research proposal—you will write a research proposal. I will assist you; however, you must be committed and continue working routinely. Do not expect to complete this type of work in short-time intensive-care-type work. Knowledge about a system comes gradually by reading the contributions of others.

You have already selected a contemporary criminal justice topic for study--the Policing System of the Commonwealth of Virginia and have done some work on an annotated bibliography. Now you must work on a research proposal on the topic. At this time, you have to follow the given below steps to write the research proposal:

Develop or define the problem you have already selected.
Organize your annotated bibliography into an extensive literature review format. Give a theoretical explanation of the problem.
Formulate or develop one or more hypotheses related to your study topic.
Determine and describe the research design to complete the study.
Determine and describe the data collection strategies—Quantitative or Qualitative.
Describe the data collection strategies.
Proposed data analysis techniques.
Summarize the findings and write a report.

Full Answer Section

     

Problem Statement

The policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia is in need of reform. There is a long history of police brutality and discrimination in the state, and these problems have been exacerbated by the lack of oversight and accountability of police departments. In addition, the Commonwealth's current policing system is not adequately prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century, such as crime, terrorism, and social unrest.

Literature Review

A review of the literature on policing in the Commonwealth of Virginia reveals a number of problems with the current system. These problems include:

  • Police brutality: There is a long history of police brutality in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of police brutality, including the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These cases have led to increased public scrutiny of police departments and calls for reform.
  • Racial discrimination: Police departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia have a long history of racial discrimination. This discrimination has been documented in a number of studies, including a 2016 study by the ACLU of Virginia that found that black drivers are four times more likely to be stopped by police than white drivers.
  • Lack of oversight and accountability: Police departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia are largely unaccountable to the public. There are few mechanisms in place to hold police officers accountable for misconduct, and police departments are often resistant to investigating and disciplining their own officers.
  • Inadequate preparation for 21st-century challenges: The Commonwealth's current policing system is not adequately prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century, such as crime, terrorism, and social unrest. Police departments are often understaffed and underfunded, and they lack the training and resources to effectively deal with these challenges.

Theoretical Framework

The policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia can be understood through a number of theoretical frameworks. One framework is the broken windows theory, which suggests that police departments should focus on enforcing minor offenses, such as graffiti and vandalism, in order to prevent more serious crimes from occurring. Another framework is the community policing model, which suggests that police departments should work in partnership with communities to address crime and other social problems.

Hypotheses

The following are some hypotheses that could be tested in a study of the policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia:

  • Police departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia are more likely to use force against black individuals than white individuals.
  • There is a lack of oversight and accountability of police departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Police departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia are not adequately prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century.

Research Design

The research design for a study of the policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia could include a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods could be used to collect data on the experiences of police officers and community members. Quantitative methods could be used to collect data on the rates of police brutality, racial discrimination, and other problems.

Data Collection Strategies

The data collection strategies for a study of the policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia could include:

  • Surveys of police officers and community members.
  • Interviews with police officers, community members, and experts.
  • Analysis of police data, such as arrest records and use-of-force data.
  • Observation of police interactions with the public.

Conclusion

The policing system in the Commonwealth of Virginia is in need of reform. This research proposal outlines a plan for a study that could provide valuable insights into the problems with the current system and inform the development of reforms.

Sample Answer

   

Research Proposal on Policing System of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Introduction

Policing in the United States has a long and complex history, with each city or town having its own independent police department. This decentralization has led to a wide range of policing practices, some of which have been criticized as being brutal and discriminatory. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to reform policing in the United States, and the Commonwealth of Virginia is no exception.