The Problem of Police Misconduct

This week Jonathan Blanks joins us to discuss civil liberties and police misconduct in America. This episode was recorded at the 2015 International Students for Liberty Conference and features Q&A from the audience.

Is there an upward trend in incidents of police misconduct, and if so, why? Is this just a few bad apples, or something more integral to the nature of policing in America? Just how dangerous is it to be a law enforcement officer in America? Dangerous enough to justify the military hardware the police seem to enjoy using so much?

Show Notes and Further Reading

Jonathan Blanks, “To reduce police violence against citizens, police practices need to change” (Rare article)

Jonathan Blanks, “Reasonable suspicion: Are police lying in use of force cases?” (Rare article)

Jonathan Blanks, “Race Matters in Ferguson—and in Modern America” (Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org column)

Jonathan Blanks, “How Equal Rights for Black Americans Still Aren’t Enough” (Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org column)

Michael Malice, “Why I’ve Never Respected the Police” (Thought Catalog article)

Radley Balko, Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces (book)

Bruce Benson, To Serve and Protect: Privatization and Community in Criminal Justice (book)

William Stuntz, The Collapse of American Criminal Justice (book)

Gallup, Confidence in Institutions (poll)