Outfitting Cops with Cameras Forces People to Behave

by Natalie Shoemaker

The recent deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Antonio Martin have sparked a national debate over police responsibility and safety. It's a frustrating problem that people believe can be fixed with body cameras, and a recent study proves that this surveillance solution shows promise.

Max Ufberg from the Pacific Standard writes on the study that was published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology . Researchers equipped Rialto cops at random with pocket-sized cameras to wear while on-duty for 12 months. The results showed that officers used less force to apprehend a culprit, dropping 59 percent compared to last year. What's more, individuals using force against police officers dropped by 87 percent.

One of the co-authors of the study, Dr. Barak Ariel, explained the reason behind the results, and it all involves the psychology of how we act when we know we're under a microscope:

“With institutionalized body-worn-camera use, an officer is obliged to issue a warning from the start that an encounter is being filmed. [This will impact] the psyche of all involved by conveying a straightforward, pragmatic message: We are all being watched, videotaped, and expected to follow the rules.”

It's an unfortunate solution to an upsetting problem--that we must resort to turning into a surveillance state in order to force people to do the right thing. To control inmate populations English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham designed a structure called the “panopticon,” in which a watchman could see into every prisoner's cell. However, the observer couldn't watch all cells at a single time, leaving inmates to behave as if they were being observed at all times. It's basic psychology: When we know we're being watched, people tend to fall in-line.

The only thing stopping every police district from carrying these cameras is cost. Ufberg reports that at almost $400 per camera, poorer counties (where they are needed more) may have trouble finding the funds to outfit their forces.

Read more at Pacific Standard

Photo Credit: Pete Birkinshaw/Flickr