Notebook 7

Brooke Prince
Write the outline of your argument for a position or proposal paper using the scientific method
as the template for the argument:
o Ask a Question
o Do Background Research
o onstruct a !ypothesis "come up #ith a #orking thesis$
o %est &our !ypothesis by Doing an '(periment "research your issue through a
)ariety of sources*lenses*perspecti)es*audiences$
o Analy+e &our Data and Dra# a onclusion "data,e)idence,sources$
o ommunicate &our Results "your position stated in a thesis statement$
-. Ask a Question.
Would body cams on police officers reduce brutality and use of e(cessi)e force/
0. Background research
According to an article titled 1Police Brutality in America2 its no ne#s to society that
police brutality occurs #ithin the country. Whether or not it3s recurrence is often it3s becoming a
stark reality especially in recent ne#s. We ha)e countless e(amples of this such as 4scar
5rant6 unarmed6 and completely compliant #ho #as shot and killed by la# enforcement. %he
officer #as considered for se)eral different )erdicts6 but #e all kno# #hat a regular citi+en #ould
be charged #ith. %he #ord for it is manslaughter6 the 7egal Dictionary defines it as 8%he act of
unla#fully killing another human being unintentionally.2 After the )erdict there #as a lot of unrest
causing protest in 4akland. Bay Area indymedia.org made a )ery true statement claiming6 %he
actions of the Police in 4akland tonight "including do+ens of arrests$ sho# their disrespect for
9ustice in 5eneral. %heir hea)y handed )iolence to#ards protestors 9ust reinforces their total
disconnect #ith the people of 4akland.8 :t;s as true e)ery#here across America6 police acting
like 5estapo6 usually unaccountably.
<ike Bro#n is a recent e(ample of this. !e too #as unarmed and shot at the mercy of
Darren Wilson. %here #ere fe# #itnesses and )ery little caught on tape so #ho kno#s #hat the
turnout #ill be6 and if 9ustice #ill be ser)ed.
Body cams are currently being test ran as of no# and are sho#ing positi)e results.
According to a Ne# &ork %imes article titled6 1%odays Police Put on a 5un and a amera2
during a Rialto alifornia study it sho#ed that citi+en complaints dropped = to 0> since the
usage of the cameras.While the use of force dropped to 0? incidents as opposed to o)er @-.
%here3s no doubt beha)ior changes drastically #hile these cameras are in place6 and so far the
outcome has pro)en to be beneficial.
=. onstruct a !ypothesis "come up #ith a #orking thesis$
By pro)iding officers #ith body cams during and sort of human interaction #e can o)erall
alle)iate the occurrences of Police brutality6 racial profiling6 and unnecessary killings #ithin
society. Not only #ill body cams lessen the ob)ious problems in)ol)ing police6 but it #ill created
a trusted relationship bet#een a community and its la# enforcement.
>. o %est &our !ypothesis by Doing an '(periment "research your issue through a )ariety
of sources*lenses*perspecti)es*audiences$
<any cities are already doing a trial run of these cameras. Aince Berguson officers and
their departments ha)e taken it upon themsel)es to purchase cameras. Auch as Rialto
alifornia one of the firsts to do a huge study #ith these cameras. %hey report shifts #ithout the
body cams #ere t#ice as likely to be in)ol)ed in use of e(cessi)e force than those #ith the
cameras. %hey also found that the rate of use of force incidents per -6CCC contacts #as reduced
0.? times compared to the -0 months prior to the e(periment.
As far as the numbers of complaints the rates #ere drastically reduced to the point
#here the data #as ske#ed so the department #as unable to pro)ide an e(act number.
!o#e)er during the trial there #as a total of = complaints filed #hich is a huge impro)ement.
:n situation #here force #as needed they documented that no #eapons #ere used. :n all
)ideotaped scenarios #here e(cessi)e force #as needed the sub9ect #as ob)iously physically
aggressi)e and resistant. %his demonstrates ho# beha)ior changes #hen being recorded and
has ser)ed as beneficial.
?. o Analy+e &our Data and Dra# a onclusion "data,e)idence,sources$
: conclude that by pro)iding all la# enforcement #ith body cameras the rate of police
brutality6 racial profiling6 and unnecessary deaths #ill drop drastically and in return created a
more trusted relationship #ith society and la# enforcement.
@. ommunicate &our Results "your position stated in a thesis statement$
Dudging by the results this has already pro)en to be an e(tremely positi)e turnout
resulting in a significant drop in police brutality. %he body cameras #ill install a ne# code of
ethics that #ill #ork effecti)ely in pre)enting misconduct6 and #ill promote professionalism.
Works ited
Dohnson6 Eirk. 8%oday3s Police Put 4n a 5un and a amera.8 The New York Times. %he
Ne# &ork %imes6 07 Aept. 0C->. Web. -? 4ct. 0C->.
7endman6 Atephan. 8Police Brutality in America.8 MWC News. -= Duly 0C-C. Web. -?
4ct. 0C->.
8A'7BFAWAR'N'AA %4 B':N5 WA%!'D AND A4:A77&FD'A:RAB7' B'!AG:4R:
A B:'7D 'HP'R:<'N% 4N %!' 'BB'% 4B B4D&FW4RN A<'RAA 4N P47:' IA'F4BF
B4R'.8 Web. -? 4ct. 0C->.