EconTalk Franklin Zimring on When Police Kill
Aug 24, 2020
Franklin Zimring, a criminologist and law professor at UC Berkeley, dives deep into the shocking fact that roughly 1,000 Americans die annually at the hands of police. He discusses the disparities in media coverage of police killings versus executions and emphasizes the need for better policing practices. Zimring examines the complex dynamics of police encounters, especially in domestic violence situations, and critiques existing protocols. He highlights the role of systemic issues and calls for accountability and reform to promote civilian safety.
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Lack of Aggregation
- Until 2014, more attention was given to the death penalty than to police killings.
- The roughly 1,000 annual police killings weren't aggregated, unlike the 20-40 executions.
Shootings as Primary Method
- The majority of police killings are shootings (around 1,000 out of 1,120 total deaths).
- This highlights the use of lethal force as the primary method in these incidents.
Necessary vs. Unnecessary Shootings
- About half of police shootings are necessary due to firearms threats to officers.
- The other half involve weapons that pose less risk, like blades.
