Cops with college educations less likely to use force

[Anti Federalist]

Cops and College: Do Police Need Book Smarts?

Better-educated police officers resort less often to using force, research shows.

By Melinda Burns

http://www.miller-mccune.com/legal-...ail&utm_content=0907&utm_campaign=newsletters

Weighing in on a long-simmering dispute, a recent study for the Police Quarterly shows that officers with some college education are less likely to resort to force than those who never attend college.

The study found no difference with respect to officer education when it came to arrests or searches of suspects. But it found that in encounters with crime suspects, officers with some college education or a four-year degree resorted to using force 56 percent of the time, while officers with no college education used force 68 percent of the time. “Force” included verbally threatening suspects, grabbing or punching them, using mace or pepper spray, hitting suspects with a baton, handcuffing, throwing to the ground, or pointing or firing a gun at them.

“Up until now, the studies have been much more anecdotal, indicating that education may matter,” said William Terrill, an associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State and a co-author of the study. “We found that a college education significantly reduces the likelihood of force occurring. The difference is real. It truly is because the officer was more educated, not because the suspect was more resistant.”

Read the rest at link...

 

[WaltM]

good idea, force education on them so they won't use force on us later

 

[Humanae Libertas]

In that case, all cops should be required to have a Master's Degree.

 

[EndDaFed]

I think the doctorate level is what we should aim for.

 

[Paleo]

agreed. At the very least, cops should be required to have a JD.

 

[Ireland4Liberty]

..But doesn't this not suggest that the cops do not get the required education at the academy?

 

[pcosmar]

..But doesn't this not suggest that the cops do not get the required education at the academy?

"Training" is not necessarily "Education".

 

[roho76]

Makes sense. Bullies in schools are not usually honor roll students if you know what I mean. Bullies are bullies because they don't know how to get the desired outcome through any other means. It's a "I want that/this. Give it to me or I'll kick your ass" mentality. It's only natural that that type of mentality would naturally gravitate towards a career in law enforcement.

 

[Slutter McGee]

College education shouldn't be necessary. But unfortunately, the ability to reason is not being taught at the high school level.

Ultimately, I think this is much more a matter of intelligence rather than education. And I think there is some degree of correlation between intelligence and a college education.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

 

[brenden.b]

I'm guessing maturity has something to do with it too. Spending four to five years in college can mature a person, while some of the younger/more aggressive officers who join the force at age 21 usually are hot heads who never really matured.

 

[pcosmar]

College education shouldn't be necessary. But unfortunately, the ability to reason is not being taught at the high school level.

Ultimately, I think this is much more a matter of intelligence rather than education. And I think there is some degree of correlation between intelligence and a college education.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

I know many intelligent folks that could never afford college. I also know a number of idiots with college degrees. (often funded by others).
Even college "education" does not guarantee intelligence.
I don't see the correlation.

 

[BlackTerrel]

I know many intelligent folks that could never afford college. I also know a number of idiots with college degrees. (often funded by others).
Even college "education" does not guarantee intelligence.
I don't see the correlation.

I know short people in the NBA. I also know very tall people who aren't in the NBA and never played basketball. But in general I'd say there is a correlation between being tall and being in the NBA.

Are you really saying there is NO correlation between intelligence and college education? It doesn't have to be 1 to 1.

 

[pcosmar]

I know short people in the NBA. I also know very tall people who aren't in the NBA and never played basketball. But in general I'd say there is a correlation between being tall and being in the NBA.

Are you really saying there is NO correlation between intelligence and college education? It doesn't have to be 1 to 1.

No I don't.
Those with intelligence will often get a degree if possible, many do not.
and those with low intelligence will often get a degree for employment purposes or because they are directed to by others. But it doesn't make them any more intelligent.
I have seen many that were educated far beyond their capacity.

 

[specsaregood]

“Up until now, the studies have been much more anecdotal, indicating that education may matter,” said William Terrill, an associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State and a co-author of the study. “We found that a college education significantly reduces the likelihood of force occurring. The difference is real. It truly is because the officer was more educated, not because the suspect was more resistant.”

Yeah, I don't think it is BECAUSE of the education; but probably some correlation with the type of people that are more likely to go to college.

 

[MelissaWV]

I know short people in the NBA. I also know very tall people who aren't in the NBA and never played basketball. But in general I'd say there is a correlation between being tall and being in the NBA.

Are you really saying there is NO correlation between intelligence and college education? It doesn't have to be 1 to 1.

The shorter NBA players' heights do not matter, as they tend to have astounding vertical leaps that make up for whatever shortcomings they might have standing still. A vertical leap of over 40 inches goes a long way towards making you able to compete with someone almost a foot taller than you are.

Likewise, those who don't go to college may have experience or awesome skills that make up for classroom knowledge. The "correlation" between intelligence and college education? I don't really see it. You do have to be intelligent to pass certain classes, obviously. There are no dumbasses that pass the super high math class levels at the top universities. However, how much intelligence is involved in starting a business and making it successful? How many people who own small businesses have limited/no college? Now, how much intelligence does it take to know that you'd be better served by spending four years building wealth/experience rather than building debt/general knowledge?

Intelligence is a tough thing to measure. Just because it takes intelligence to pass a lot of college courses... does not mean that not going to college indicates a lack of intelligence. The rooster crows before the dawn, but it does not cause the sun to rise. Intelligence comes into play when you make a good decision for yourself based on your strengths, your goals, your situation in general, no?

 

[PatriotOne]

Both stats are horrifying regardless of education. Forced used on suspects by the college educated is still 56%.

But it found that in encounters with crime suspects, officers with some college education or a four-year degree resorted to using force 56 percent of the time, while officers with no college education used force 68 percent of the time. “Force” included verbally threatening suspects, grabbing or punching them, using mace or pepper spray, hitting suspects with a baton, handcuffing, throwing to the ground, or pointing or firing a gun at them.

 

[Slutter McGee]

I know many intelligent folks that could never afford college. I also know a number of idiots with college degrees. (often funded by others).
Even college "education" does not guarantee intelligence.
I don't see the correlation.

I think you probably failed logic. Correlation is different than causation. I would give you an anology but Black Terrel's is perfect.

If you can't understand that highly intelligent people are more likely to attend and graduate college than unintelligent people, then common sense seems lost on you.

That certainly doesn't mean that all intelligent people graduate college. Look at Bill Gates. And it certainly doesn't mean that all people who graduate are intelligent.

There is simply, a correlation.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

 

[specsaregood]

Are you really saying there is NO correlation between intelligence and college education? It doesn't have to be 1 to 1.

No I don't.

Sure you do. How many mentally retarded folk do you see going to college? That right there is correlation.

Intelligence is a tough thing to measure. Just because it takes intelligence to pass a lot of college courses... does not mean that not going to college indicates a lack of intelligence.

He never said it did. There is no way you can honestly answer NO to BT's question, stated as it was.

 

[Slutter McGee]

Likewise, those who don't go to college may have experience or awesome skills that make up for classroom knowledge. The "correlation" between intelligence and college education? I don't really see it. You do have to be intelligent to pass certain classes, obviously. There are no dumbasses that pass the super high math class levels at the top universities. However, how much intelligence is involved in starting a business and making it successful? How many people who own small businesses have limited/no college? Now, how much intelligence does it take to know that you'd be better served by spending four years building wealth/experience rather than building debt/general knowledge?

Intelligence is a tough thing to measure. Just because it takes intelligence to pass a lot of college courses... does not mean that not going to college indicates a lack of intelligence. The rooster crows before the dawn, but it does not cause the sun to rise. Intelligence comes into play when you make a good decision for yourself based on your strengths, your goals, your situation in general, no?

You are confusing correlation and causation. And intelligence is NOT difficult to measure. It is a measure of somebodies intelligent quotient. And don't give the political BS concerning emotional intelligence, and all the other kinds of self-esteem boosting crap.

Nobody claimed that not going to college indicates lack of intelligence. Simply, that there is a large degree of correlation when looking at the statistics.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

 

[MelissaWV]

Sure you do. How many mentally retarded folk do you see going to college? That right there is correlation.

He never said it did. There is no way you can honestly answer NO to BT's question, stated as it was.

It's a lop-sided question, hence why I threw in the rooster logic.

Surely you can't say there's no correlation between having legs and going to college? The vast majority of people in college have legs.

Familiar examples of dependent phenomena include the correlation between the physical statures of parents and their offspring, and the correlation between the demand for a product and its price. Correlations are useful because they can indicate a predictive relationship that can be exploited in practice. For example, an electrical utility may produce less power on a mild day based on the correlation between electricity demand and weather. Correlations can also suggest possible causal, or mechanistic relationships; however, statistical dependence is not sufficient to demonstrate the presence of such a relationship.

To say there's a correlation does say something about the non-college population.

I don't think it's as simple as people want to make it seem, which is why I made the post that I did. Then again, there are a lot of folks who just think college = smart. There's no changing that idea.