Justice RequiredRobert J. Durán Oralia LozaLabel: Columbia University PressDescription: Police have remarkably broad discretion to use deadly force. Evidence shows that more than 1000 shooting deaths occur each year at the hands of the police in the United States disproportionately in minority communities and often under questionable circumstances. Despite public outrage there continue to be obstacles to assessing the extent of bias and addressing the harms of police violence including a lack of transparency and limitations on access to data.Justice Required is a groundbreaking quantitative and qualitative investigation of police violence. Robert J. Durán and Oralia Loza provide a comprehensive data analysis of all police shootings in Denver Colorado over nearly forty years highlighting persistent patterns of racial and ethnic inequality. They examine the institutional and political dynamics that thwart efforts to hold police officers accountable after controversial incidents. Durán and Loza contextualize the data with regional comparisons and enliven the analysis with vivid storytelling. Justice Required argues that while police shootings are typically treated as a criminal justice issue they should be understood as a public health problem. Rigorous and urgent this book provides evidence-based data-driven solutions to prevent further loss of life and promote accountability.
