Throughout history, society has dealt with crime and the corresponding treatment of criminals. Initially, punishment involved killing offenders, but this evolved to incarceration. Nowadays, society aims to understand the motives behind crimes and implement measures and programs to prevent recidivism. These initiatives rely on thorough research and proper utilization of the findings. Administrators are then able to analyze and evaluate the data to revise policies that minimize the risk posed by offenders.
The reduction of offender risk will decrease new criminal activity and promote public safety.
Summary
In the 1960's, a commission called the Kerner Commission was formed to identify key factors contributing to police ineffectiveness in dealing with civil misconduct or violent civil protests (George, 2018). The commission, which released its findings around fifty years ago, concluded that poverty and institution
...al racism were driving forces behind inner-city violence. The authors of the journal article, "The Policing of Civil Disorders," Patrick F. Gillham and Gary T. Marx, argue that the police played a crucial role in the civil disorders of the 1960s.
According to Gillham and Marx (2018) in conjunction with the Kerner report, the issues concerning logistical needs, training, operational planning, control equipment, coordination, and legal requirements were identified. The findings of the Kerner Commission report established the framework for how police departments in the United States would manage civil unrest. The country is currently faced with the challenge of managing a volatile situation where the public's perception of the police and how the police are perceived by the community are at odds. Whenever there is a large gathering in public, the police inevitably play a central role in the event, even if violence has not yet occurre
(Gillham & Marx, 2018).
Large scale civil disorders have been decreasing since the sixties, primarily due to the Kerner report. However, notable recent events like the OJ Simpson trials in California and the Ferguson, Missouri incident in 2014 have been exceptions. Gillham and Marx's journal article discusses the changes in the policing of protest and civil disorder and raises three key questions. They inquire about the noticeable changes in policing since the Kerner report, the effective and ineffective police practices in Ferguson, and the implications for the future. The article explains that civil disorders often stem from protests, and attributes the decline in such events to the policing of social movements. The term "civil disorder" used in their article refers to disruptive public events aimed at challenging the established social order, which can involve acts of civil disobedience and clashes with law enforcement or opposing protestors.
The behaviors like looting, arson, physical violence, and coordinated destruction of property are studied in the context of the United States policy of policing protest and disorderly events. Research suggests that the police mainly focus on national security events and events covered by the media or occurring in large cities such as Washington D.C. or New York where protests are common. Gillham and Marx state that this research indicates changes in policing since the sixties, but scholars still debate whether these changes are due to shifts in policing policy or changes in protestor tactics (Gillham ; Marx, 2018). It is undeniable that the presence of police at an event can influence tensions. For instance, if the police are forced to use increased force to control or prevent specific actions by protestors,
this can be perceived as the crowd's first aggressive act, provoking a violent confrontation.
The Kerner Commission found issues with operational planning in the policing of civil disorders, as discussed by Gillham and Marx in their article. Specifically, the problems include weaknesses in the dispatch-oriented command and control structure, insufficient information for police regarding protest planning and potential disorderly events, and minimal protective equipment for officers. Additionally, the officers had limited training on handling civil disorders.
The Kerner report had a significant impact on addressing various issues within police departments, particularly in dealing with civil disorders. According to Gillham and Marx (2018), the report led to the establishment of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which aimed to conduct research and standardize police equipment and technologies. As part of their efforts, the NIJ created the Police Weapons System Program to assess the acquisition and use of offensive and defensive weapons by law enforcement. They also evaluated existing police weapons and established the Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory, where performance standards for technologies and equipment were developed. These included portable radios, lightweight body armor, ballistic shields, surveillance technologies, as well as research grants for the development of new weapons, including less lethal alternatives (Gillham & Marx, 2018).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), established by President George W. Bush, was inspired by the Kerner Commission's recommendations. It was directed to provide funds to state and local agencies to adopt FEMA's ICS direction for emergency management. As a result, many law enforcement departments have implemented their own versions of the FEMA ICS guidelines, including for civil disorder situations (Gillham & Marx, 2018). Gillham and Marx point out that, in addition to
organizational and technical changes, there have been improvements in police culture and understanding of crowd behavior and citizen rights. This has led to a softer and more differentiated approach in police responses (Gillham & Marx, 2018).
According to Gillham and Marx (2018), the Ferguson case provides insights into current police command and control systems, intelligence practices, and equipment. The authors argue that both empirical and evaluative approaches are necessary to understand the implications of changes in policing disorder for American society in the twenty-first century. They also caution against assuming that past patterns will hold true in the future, as conflicts between police and civil disorders are constantly evolving and dynamic exchanges.
Since the Kerner Commission's evaluation of civil disorder policies approximately fifty years ago, the approach to these situations has shifted towards non-violence. This change is attributed to the ability of law enforcement, thanks to the Kerner Commission, to employ non-violent measures from the outset. The operational readiness of officers and the National Guard allows for quick mobilization in case a civil disorder escalates into violence. Generally, the community now accepts and expects a police presence at protests as part of local policing.
Gillham and Marx (2018) argue that while large mass demonstrations are still not welcomed by the police, they no longer evoke the fear that they used to. This change can be attributed to the analysis and evaluation of past civil disorders, which led to improvements in training, equipment, intelligence gathering procedures, and operational preparedness. Despite this progress, there are still instances of mass civil disorders, such as the Ferguson case, that may lead to police reactions violating civil liberties and escalating the situation, as
seen in the 1960’s. However, today's law enforcement officers and organizations are more careful in categorizing individuals on the streets as criminals or troublemakers. Instead, they see citizens with rights who are expected to maintain peaceful protests and prevent disorder (Gillham & Marx, 2018).
This text discusses the delicate balance that needs to be maintained within the criminal justice field when it comes to police pacification. With the presence of social changes and growing social unrest, there may be a series of interconnected developments involved (Gillham & Marx, 2018). The article titled Policing of Civil Disorders emphasizes the importance of how control agents perceive events, as it directly influences their response. If events are solely defined as violations of law and order, a harsh repression approach is more likely. However, if events are also seen as connected to understandable protests due to grievances or citizens' right to express concerns, a softer communications approach is favored. It is essential to avoid adopting one approach exclusively because it brings the risk of either an inadequate or excessive reaction (Gillham & Marx, 2018).
In my opinion, the journal article Policing of Civil Disorders presents valuable insights into the analysis and evaluation of evidence within the realm of criminal justice.
Without research, analysis is impossible, and without analysis, the evaluation of policies aimed at addressing the issues cannot take place. In order to investigate the violent riots that occurred in various cities, such as Detroit and Newark, resulting in multiple casualties, President Lyndon Johnson established the Kerner Commission (George, 2018). While some attributed the riots to unruly individuals and groups of immigrants confined to small city areas, the Kerner Commission held a
different standpoint. Their central recommendation emphasized "a policy which combines ghetto enrichment with programs designed to encourage integration of substantial numbers of Negroes into the society outside the ghetto" (George, 2018). By examining the existing scientific research and studies on these urban areas, also known as ghettos, the commission arrived at a distinct interpretation of the root causes behind the riots. Following their analysis and evaluation of the available options, the commission proceeded to propose policies and solutions for rectifying the damage.
The commission determined that fear motivated the violence in the neighborhoods where the riots occurred. The commission also confirmed that law enforcement and National Guardsmen occasionally fired their weapons recklessly due to heightened nerves caused by gunshots (George, 2018). As a result, the NIJ was established to train officers in effectively managing civil disorders and implementing cutting-edge research and protective gear. The commission also developed protocols for organized operational management during emergencies, as well as various policies and programs aimed at preventing future occurrences of the 1967 riots.
As an administrator in charge of public responses, it is important to have policies that safeguard both the public and the frontline officers. To ensure effective operational management, it is essential to establish reliable channels for gathering intelligence, with qualified individuals to analyze the data for management's evaluation. This must be done promptly, as civil disorders can escalate rapidly. The paper believes that this is the key to the success of the Kerner report and its recommendations.
Conclusion
History is filled with Monday morning quarterbacking and "what ifs." However, not making a decision is still a decision in itself.
The civil disorders from the past serve as an important lesson
for the entire criminal justice world, highlighting the consequences that can arise when there is a lack of information, training, equipment, and organization. Research indicates that the issue could have been prevented through better communication between the residents of impoverished areas and the policymakers. Unfortunately, it took the loss of numerous lives for policymakers to acquire enough data to analyze and bring about change in these areas. The most significant transformation occurred in law enforcement, specifically in terms of their communication with both the community and each other.
Policies are constantly updated and improved to stay aligned with a progressive and evolving society. Without routinely analyzing and evaluating information from the community and public, the system will once again lag behind and struggle to catch up.
