Experience

Publications

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• War on Drugs: A Vicious Cycle with Long-term Effects on Society

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

  The War on Drugs has been waged by politicians, the media, and the criminal justice system with the intentions of reducing the usage and demand for illegal drugs. The problem is that these policies do much more harm to the public than the benefit they intend to provide. The fact that these policies aim to prevent or decrease the demand for drugs is not harmful, but it is the way politicians and law enforcement agencies interpret and execute these policies that produces a harmful results. Besides the fact that Drug War policies have not significantly reduced the usage and demand for drugs, these policies have caused a laundry list of problems for society and the criminal justice system. If these policies remain the same, they will create increased health risks, allocate more money for overcrowded prisons and drug courts, disenfranchise and discriminate against certain individuals and minority groups, and further teardown the fabric that holds American society together.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• War on Drugs: A Vicious Cycle with Long-term Effects on Society

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

  The War on Drugs has been waged by politicians, the media, and the criminal justice system with the intentions of reducing the usage and demand for illegal drugs. The problem is that these policies do much more harm to the public than the benefit they intend to provide. The fact that these policies aim to prevent or decrease the demand for drugs is not harmful, but it is the way politicians and law enforcement agencies interpret and execute these policies that produces a harmful results. Besides the fact that Drug War policies have not significantly reduced the usage and demand for drugs, these policies have caused a laundry list of problems for society and the criminal justice system. If these policies remain the same, they will create increased health risks, allocate more money for overcrowded prisons and drug courts, disenfranchise and discriminate against certain individuals and minority groups, and further teardown the fabric that holds American society together.

• The effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice: a theory-based analysis

  Policing and Society

  This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environment-changing features of the police organisation which had tangible goals and well understood means for their accomplishment. In comparison, body-worn cameras were less successful in changing supervision and training, which were not well developed technically. We posit that improvements in these people-changing aspects of police work will likely require public pressure for higher levels of police professionalism, rigorous evidence on how these cameras can make training and supervision more effective, and police agencies willing to experiment with their strategic implementation.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• War on Drugs: A Vicious Cycle with Long-term Effects on Society

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

  The War on Drugs has been waged by politicians, the media, and the criminal justice system with the intentions of reducing the usage and demand for illegal drugs. The problem is that these policies do much more harm to the public than the benefit they intend to provide. The fact that these policies aim to prevent or decrease the demand for drugs is not harmful, but it is the way politicians and law enforcement agencies interpret and execute these policies that produces a harmful results. Besides the fact that Drug War policies have not significantly reduced the usage and demand for drugs, these policies have caused a laundry list of problems for society and the criminal justice system. If these policies remain the same, they will create increased health risks, allocate more money for overcrowded prisons and drug courts, disenfranchise and discriminate against certain individuals and minority groups, and further teardown the fabric that holds American society together.

• The effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice: a theory-based analysis

  Policing and Society

  This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environment-changing features of the police organisation which had tangible goals and well understood means for their accomplishment. In comparison, body-worn cameras were less successful in changing supervision and training, which were not well developed technically. We posit that improvements in these people-changing aspects of police work will likely require public pressure for higher levels of police professionalism, rigorous evidence on how these cameras can make training and supervision more effective, and police agencies willing to experiment with their strategic implementation.

• On-set with body-worn cameras in a police organization: Structures, practices, and technological frames

  Dissertation George Mason University

  Existing research on body-worn cameras (BWCs) has primarily focused on outcomes (e.g., use-of-force incidents, complaints, and arrests) rather than the processes related to BWC implementation and use by officers. This dissertation provides insights into the effects that the implementation of BWCs has had on key organizational structures and practices, including reporting, discretion, training, police-citizen interactions, and supervision. It also focuses on the technological frames of individuals belonging to different organizational groups and examines to what extent these outlooks differed between groups and changed over time. Using in-depth interviews, ride-along observations, and patrol officer surveys at a single police agency, this research resulted in two major, interrelated findings. First, the largest effect of the implementation of BWCs was on accountability, which had increased in scope to cover a range of aspects of policing, including training, reporting, discretion, and police-citizen interactions. At the same time, the intensity with which officers’ experienced accountability had not significantly increased as BWC footage was not systematically used to monitor, review, and/or evaluate police officer conduct and quality of performance. The second major finding, regarding the technological frames of two relevant social groups (Managers and Users), helps explain these findings. BWCs were implemented primarily for training purposes and to protect patrol officers against groundless complaints rather than as a mechanism for identifying officer misconduct, for failing to comply with departmental policies, and for poor street-level performance …

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• War on Drugs: A Vicious Cycle with Long-term Effects on Society

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

  The War on Drugs has been waged by politicians, the media, and the criminal justice system with the intentions of reducing the usage and demand for illegal drugs. The problem is that these policies do much more harm to the public than the benefit they intend to provide. The fact that these policies aim to prevent or decrease the demand for drugs is not harmful, but it is the way politicians and law enforcement agencies interpret and execute these policies that produces a harmful results. Besides the fact that Drug War policies have not significantly reduced the usage and demand for drugs, these policies have caused a laundry list of problems for society and the criminal justice system. If these policies remain the same, they will create increased health risks, allocate more money for overcrowded prisons and drug courts, disenfranchise and discriminate against certain individuals and minority groups, and further teardown the fabric that holds American society together.

• The effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice: a theory-based analysis

  Policing and Society

  This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environment-changing features of the police organisation which had tangible goals and well understood means for their accomplishment. In comparison, body-worn cameras were less successful in changing supervision and training, which were not well developed technically. We posit that improvements in these people-changing aspects of police work will likely require public pressure for higher levels of police professionalism, rigorous evidence on how these cameras can make training and supervision more effective, and police agencies willing to experiment with their strategic implementation.

• On-set with body-worn cameras in a police organization: Structures, practices, and technological frames

  Dissertation George Mason University

  Existing research on body-worn cameras (BWCs) has primarily focused on outcomes (e.g., use-of-force incidents, complaints, and arrests) rather than the processes related to BWC implementation and use by officers. This dissertation provides insights into the effects that the implementation of BWCs has had on key organizational structures and practices, including reporting, discretion, training, police-citizen interactions, and supervision. It also focuses on the technological frames of individuals belonging to different organizational groups and examines to what extent these outlooks differed between groups and changed over time. Using in-depth interviews, ride-along observations, and patrol officer surveys at a single police agency, this research resulted in two major, interrelated findings. First, the largest effect of the implementation of BWCs was on accountability, which had increased in scope to cover a range of aspects of policing, including training, reporting, discretion, and police-citizen interactions. At the same time, the intensity with which officers’ experienced accountability had not significantly increased as BWC footage was not systematically used to monitor, review, and/or evaluate police officer conduct and quality of performance. The second major finding, regarding the technological frames of two relevant social groups (Managers and Users), helps explain these findings. BWCs were implemented primarily for training purposes and to protect patrol officers against groundless complaints rather than as a mechanism for identifying officer misconduct, for failing to comply with departmental policies, and for poor street-level performance …

• On Set with Body-Worn Cameras: Structures and Practices (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Denver CO

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs impacted some structures and practices more than others.

• BODY-WORN CAMERAS: THE “NEW NORMAL?” Book Chapter

  Charles C Thomas Publisher

  CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY Body-worn cameras have been available for a decade, with police agencies in the United Kingdom among the first to pilot them in 2005 and 2006 (Harris, 2010: 361). In the United States, body-worn cameras first received significant media attention in 2013 when a fed-eral district judge ordered New York City police officers to wear cameras in response to lawsuits over racial bias in stop, question, and frisk practices (White, 2014: 12). But it was not until the summer of 2014 with the police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenag-er, in Ferguson, Missouri, that this surveillance technology suddenly became part of a national conversation about police reform (Mai-Duc, 2014; Pearce, 2014). Much of what came to light about this tragic event relied on con-flicting police and bystander testimony. An outraged public rioted and demanded clarity on what had actually transpired. The recent deaths of other unarmed black men at the hands of the police, including Eric Garner and Walter Scott, has fueled additional public outcry for in-creased police transparency and accountability. According to proponents, the availability of a “real-time” video and audio recording of an incident allows for the careful review and assessment of a patrol officer’s conduct, and a means to hold police responsible for their actions, especially when it comes to use-of-force and serious misconduct. 

• Body-Worn Cameras: Understanding Accountability at a Police Organization (Paper Presentation)

  Annual Student Research Showcase, George Mason University

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs have increased the scope of accountability but not in intensity.

• Understanding How Body-Worn Cameras Impact Accountability at a Police Organization

  American Society of Criminology

• Behind The Scenes of Body-Worn Cameras: How Are They Shaping Policing?

  American Society of Criminology

  The killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the death of Eric Garner in New York City; and the shooting death of homeless man in Los Angeles have contributed to increased public demand for better police accountability, especially in the form of body-worn cameras. Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence training, supervision, and accountability. Aside from addressing a major gap in body-worn camera literature, this study provides useful insights for those police agencies in the market for these devices as they diffuse across the nation.

• Pedophilia vs. Child Sexual Abuse from a Social Bond Perspective: A Way to Shape Future Policy.

  American Society of Criminology

  Pedophilia and child molestation have been social issues throughout human history. Scholars and policy makers tend to turn to psychological or biological explanations for this behavior but seem to exclude the impact of socialization on it. Indeed people have different genetic and personality profiles that predispose them to more likely engage in certain acts, however, regardless of how unique people are genetically or psychologically, given a certain social environment; anyone can potentially be driven to partake in such behavior. Sociological theories tend to explain the individual’s behavior in relation to the broader social environment they are a part of or through the way people are socialized. These theories usually explain crimes of the lower class that involve instrumental motives, however, theories such as Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory can explain sex crimes and guide future policy. This paper will distinguish between pedophiles and child molesters, explain their differences through social bond theory, and discuss future policy suggestions.

• Social Control: a Comprehensive Definition (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal justice Sciences

  The term “social control” can have different meanings that depend on whom one asks. Some may find it synonymous with the term “social order”, while others interpret social control as the amount of regulation exerted by the government on society. This term can often cause confusion among young scholars when they are unaware of the particular context. The confusion may be due to its origins in sociology, like much of the field’s conceptual framework. Some authors have set out to classify the different definitions for this term in an attempt to avoid further confusion, while others have used this term to build criminological theories. However, none have attempted to create an all-encompassing, comprehensive definition. Taking from previous bodies of work, this paper sets out to discuss the existing interpretations of “social control” and proposes a new, clear, and comprehensive definition, original to the field of criminology that is applicable to all contexts of the term.

• War on Drugs: A Vicious Cycle with Long-term Effects on Society

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

  The War on Drugs has been waged by politicians, the media, and the criminal justice system with the intentions of reducing the usage and demand for illegal drugs. The problem is that these policies do much more harm to the public than the benefit they intend to provide. The fact that these policies aim to prevent or decrease the demand for drugs is not harmful, but it is the way politicians and law enforcement agencies interpret and execute these policies that produces a harmful results. Besides the fact that Drug War policies have not significantly reduced the usage and demand for drugs, these policies have caused a laundry list of problems for society and the criminal justice system. If these policies remain the same, they will create increased health risks, allocate more money for overcrowded prisons and drug courts, disenfranchise and discriminate against certain individuals and minority groups, and further teardown the fabric that holds American society together.

• The effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice: a theory-based analysis

  Policing and Society

  This study applies the technical/rational model of organisations to help explain the effects of body-worn cameras on police organisation and practice in a single police agency in the United States. Consistent with the technical/rational model, cameras had enhanced those people-processing and environment-changing features of the police organisation which had tangible goals and well understood means for their accomplishment. In comparison, body-worn cameras were less successful in changing supervision and training, which were not well developed technically. We posit that improvements in these people-changing aspects of police work will likely require public pressure for higher levels of police professionalism, rigorous evidence on how these cameras can make training and supervision more effective, and police agencies willing to experiment with their strategic implementation.

• On-set with body-worn cameras in a police organization: Structures, practices, and technological frames

  Dissertation George Mason University

  Existing research on body-worn cameras (BWCs) has primarily focused on outcomes (e.g., use-of-force incidents, complaints, and arrests) rather than the processes related to BWC implementation and use by officers. This dissertation provides insights into the effects that the implementation of BWCs has had on key organizational structures and practices, including reporting, discretion, training, police-citizen interactions, and supervision. It also focuses on the technological frames of individuals belonging to different organizational groups and examines to what extent these outlooks differed between groups and changed over time. Using in-depth interviews, ride-along observations, and patrol officer surveys at a single police agency, this research resulted in two major, interrelated findings. First, the largest effect of the implementation of BWCs was on accountability, which had increased in scope to cover a range of aspects of policing, including training, reporting, discretion, and police-citizen interactions. At the same time, the intensity with which officers’ experienced accountability had not significantly increased as BWC footage was not systematically used to monitor, review, and/or evaluate police officer conduct and quality of performance. The second major finding, regarding the technological frames of two relevant social groups (Managers and Users), helps explain these findings. BWCs were implemented primarily for training purposes and to protect patrol officers against groundless complaints rather than as a mechanism for identifying officer misconduct, for failing to comply with departmental policies, and for poor street-level performance …

• On Set with Body-Worn Cameras: Structures and Practices (Paper Presentation)

  Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Denver CO

  Proponents and manufacturers of body-worn cameras claim that these devices can also be effective at improving evidence collection, officer safety, performance review practices, and officer training, in addition to improved accountability. Although a small body of literature exists examining these claims, little systematic research has considered the organizational challenges and opportunities of implementing body-worn cameras. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, observations, and survey data collected in a small, city-level police agency, this paper considers how police officers use and think about body-worn cameras in the course of their daily work. It also considers how these cameras influence reporting, discretion, training, investigations, police-citizen encounters, and supervision. I found that BWCs impacted some structures and practices more than others.

• Making sense of body-worn cameras in a police organization: a technological frames analysis

  Police Practice and Research: An International Journal

  This case study of a small police agency in the United States uses semi-structured interviews, a patrol officer survey, and observations, to examine the technological frames of managers and users for interpreting the implementation and use of body-worn cameras. A technological frames approach allows for an in-depth comparison of the knowledge, assumptions, and interpretations of a new technology between groups and for an examination of the processes that may lead to these perceptions changing over time. Although users were initially wary of managers’ rationale for camera implementation, their frames evolved as they realized that body-worn cameras were not being used to identify instances of minor misconduct or policy violations. This development of a more positive perspective was further strengthened by the discovery of additional benefits of body-worn camera use, including protecting users from frivolous complaints and their evidentiary value. These findings challenge the notion that ‘first impressions last’ and that differences in group frames inevitably lead to conflict and unsatisfactory outcomes.