Police Violence Think Tank
Vision: Our vision is to create a society free from unwarranted police violence, where emerging adults from all cultural backgrounds can thrive in an environment that promotes justice, equality, and overall well-being.
Mission: Our mission is to conduct rigorous research and analysis on police violence exposure among emerging adults, emphasizing cultural relevance and making data-informed contributions toward preventive and intervention practices. Through collaboration with social scientists, community stakeholders, and policymakers, we strive to eradicate unwarranted police violence and its detrimental impacts on mental and behavioral health.
Goal: We aim to develop effective preventive and intervention practices that address unwarranted police violence and its consequences, focusing specifically on emerging adults. By examining the root causes and systemic disparities, we aim to guide evidence-based policy changes, enhance police-community relationships, and improve mental and behavioral health outcomes for affected individuals. We seek to empower communities, engage diverse perspectives, and create sustainable solutions that foster social justice and equality.
Interactive Map for Examining Fatal Police Encounters by Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies
Robert O Motley Jr., PhD
The United States has witnessed a number of deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers including the high-profile deaths of Eric Garner (July 2014): Michael Brown (August 2014): Laquan McDonald (October 2014): Tamir Rice (November 2014): Freddie Gray (April 2015): Philando Castile (July 2016): Jordan Edwards (April 2017): Breonna Taylor (March 2020): George Floyd (May 2020): Daunte Wright (April 2021): and Tyre Nichols (January 2023). These incidents highlight the ongoing concerns and discussions around law enforcement practices and policy.
In an era where data-driven insights are crucial for informed practice and policy decision-making, providing comprehensive and accessible data on law enforcement-related fatalities involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies is of paramount importance. Using combined data from Fatal Encounters and Mapping Police Violence, the Racism-based Violence Injury and Prevention Lab at Boston College School of Social Work proudly presents an innovative interactive map that offers users the ability to examine law enforcement-related fatalities by federal, state, and/or local law enforcement agencies in the United States. This interactive map serves as a vital resource for scholars, policy leaders, law enforcement officials, and advocates, offering a detailed and nuanced understanding of the dynamics surrounding these critical incidents.
This tool is instrumental, as it aids in comprehensive study and informed policy making, while also serving as a platform for community engagement and advocacy. This interactive map is more than a collection of data; it's a catalyst for change. We encourage visitors to explore, analyze, and draw insights that contribute to constructive dialogues and tangible improvements in law enforcement practices and policies at the local, state, and federal level.
SUMMARY: Police violence exposure among Latinx adults in the United States is increasingly concerning due to its prevalence and associated risks for adverse mental, behavioral, and physical health outcomes. This integrative review appraised studies published from 2003 to 2023 that examine the relationship between police violence exposure and negative health outcomes in Latinx adults.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Roh, H., Patel, P., & Walker, D. (2024). Police violence exposure and associated health outcomes for Latinx adults in the U.S.: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241270078
SUMMARY: An In-Depth Analysis of Fatal Encounters with U.S. Law Enforcement: Dissecting the Roles of Federal, State, and Local Agencies (Racism-based Violence Injury & Prevention Lab Research Brief No. 3)
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Williamson, E., Carver, L., & Delgado, A. (2024, April). An In-Depth Analysis of Fatal Encounters with U.S. Law Enforcement: Dissecting the Roles of Federal, State, and Local Agencies (Racism-based Violence Injury & Prevention Lab Research Brief No. 3). Boston, MA: Boston College, Racism-Based Violence Injury & Prevention Lab. https://doi.org/10.6017/ssw.rbvipl.rb003.kq1770
SUMMARY: A growing body of evidence makes plain that exposure to perceived racism-based events, particularly for Black emerging adults aged 18–29, represents a major public health concern in the United States given its widespread prevalence and documented association with adverse health outcomes. However, research on the prevalence and correlates of exposure to perceived racism-based police violence (RPV) for Black emerging adults is scant. The current study examines the prevalence and correlates of RPV exposure among a sample of 300 Black emerging adult college students, utilizing computer-assisted surveys.
CITATION: Motley, R., Williamson, E., & Quinn, C. (2024). Prevalence and Correlates of Exposure (Direct and Indirect) to Perceived Racism-Based Police Violence among Black Emerging Adult College Students. Social Work in Public Health, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2024.2341838
SUMMARY: This study characterizes the profile of Black emerging adults aged 18-29 generated from sociodemographic characteristics and indicators of police contact and exposure to racism-based police violence (RPV), and the relationship between profiles and traumatic stress symptoms.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Williamson, E., Pieterse, A. L., & Harris, M. (2024). Profiles of Black Emerging Adults Exposure to Racism-Based Police Violence and Associated Mental Health Outcomes. Emerging Adulthood, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968241240182
SUMMARY: In this article, racism is defined and a discussion is offered on its impact on the health and well-being of Black adults in the United States; the intersection of racism and policing; contemporary racialized policing practices; emerging evidence on prevalence rates for exposure (direct and indirect) to perceived racism-based police violence and associated mental and behavioral health outcomes; and police accountability through executive, legislative, legal, and other remedies.
CITATION: Robert O. Motley Jr. and Christopher Baidoo (2023). Racism and Accountable Policing for Black Adults in the United States. National Association of Social Workers Press and Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1639
SUMMARY: Anxiety, depression, and psychological distress are public health concerns for Black emerging adults ages 18–29, given their prevalence in this population. However, we have scant empirical research investigating the prevalence and correlates of adverse mental outcomes among Black emerging adults with a history of exposure to police use of force. Thus, the current study examined the prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being and how they vary among a sample of Black emerging adults with a history of direct or indirect exposure to police use of force.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr, Chen, Y.C., & Motley, J. (2023). Prevalence and Correlates of Adverse Mental Health Outcomes among Male and Female Black Emerging Adults with a History of Exposure (Direct versus Indirect) to Police Use of Force. Social Work Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svad005
SUMMARY: Exposure to police violence is a public health concern for Black emerging adults ages 18-29 given its prevalence and association with adverse health outcomes. However, research examining the role of police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use-of-force and personal safety interventions is scant. This study investigated the mediating role of perceived police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use-of-force and personal safety interventions (reliance on police, self, or others) in a sample of Black emerging adults.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., & Joe, S. (2021). Exposure to Police use-of-force, Perceived Police Legitimacy, and Personal Safety Interventions Among Black Emerging Adult College Students. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1086/717586
SUMMARY: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent disorders for Black emerging adults ages 18 to 29 in America. Moreover, some Black emerging adults with a history of exposure to police use of force may experience police contact anxiety (PCA) symptoms during (e.g., unable to relax) or in anticipation of future police contacts (e.g., the urge to avoid police), which may develop into an anxiety disorder. The current study assessed the prevalence and correlates of PCA symptoms for Black emerging adults to explore this phenomenon.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr, Chen, Y.C., Finner, A., Masood, Y., & Joe, S. (2023). Prevalence and Correlates of Police Contact Anxiety among Male and Female Black Emerging Adults in St. Louis, Missouri. Social Work Research, 47(1), 50-61. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svac032
SUMMARY: Disparities in police responses to Black and White people have received significant research and public attention in recent years. This study examines self-reported accounts of exposure to and perceptions of police use of force among Black and White ethnic groups by sex and income level.
CITATION: Motley, R., & Joe, S. (2018). Police use of force by ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic class. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 9(1), 49-67. https://doi.org/10.1086/696355
SUMMARY: Suicidality (thinking about, planning, and attempting) has become a growing national public health concern for Black emerging adult college students in America due to increased rates among this population. The goal of the current cross-sectional study is to examine the mediating role of police contact anxiety (PCA) and the moderating role of grit in the relationship between exposure to videos of police use of force in media and suicidality.
CITATION: Motley, R., Simmons, E., Azasu, E., Clifton, M., Walker, D. T., & Carnayla Johnson. (2022). Utilizing a Mediation-Moderation Model to Examine Exposure to Videos of Police use of Force in Media, Police Contact Anxiety, Grit, and Suicidality among Black Emerging Adult College Students. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1086/722584
SUMMARY: Disparities in police responses to Black and White people have received significant research and public attention in recent years. This study examines self-reported accounts of exposure to and perceptions of police use of force among Black and White ethnic groups by sex and income level.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Finner, A., Walker, M., & Joe, S. (2020, June). Accountable policing: Policies to advance the personal safety of Black boys and young men (Race and Opportunity Lab Brief Report No. 3). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development, Race and Opportunity Lab. https://doi.org/10.7936/b0kj-hn71
SUMMARY: Racial discrimination and cannabis use among Black emerging adults in America is a growing public health concern. However, research examining the relationship between exposure to perceived racism-based police use-of-force and cannabis use for this population is scant. This study examined the frequency of exposure (direct and indirect) to racism-based police use-of-force and its relationship with past 30-day cannabis use for a sample of Black emerging adult men and women 18–29 years of age.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Byansi, W., Siddiqi, R., Bills, K., & Salas-Wright, C. P. (2022). Perceived Racism-based Police Use of Force and Cannabis Use among Black Emerging Adults. Addictive Behaviors Reports. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100430
SUMMARY: This study provides evidence that direct (i.e., victimization or witnessing the event in person) and indirect (i.e., seen in media) exposure to perceived racism-based police violence is a measurable dimension of racist experiences with negative mental health consequences for Black emerging adults. Additionally, it extends our understanding of the frequency of distinct law enforcement-related racism-based experiences for this population by sex.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Joe, S., McQueen, A., Clifton, M., & Carlton, D. (2022). Development, Construct Validity, and Measurement Invariance of the Modified Classes of Racism Frequency of Racial Experiences Measure (M-CRFRE) to Capture Direct and Indirect Exposure to Perceived Racism-Based Police use of Force for Black Emerging Adults. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000525
SUMMARY: There is limited research about suicidal behaviors among Black emerging adults (peak age of suicide risk) who report exposure to police violence. The current study applies an integrated approach to examine individual, immediate environment, and community-based risk and protective factors of suicide among Black college students who reported previous exposure to police violence.
CITATION: Szlyk, H., Motley, R., Joe, S., Nonas-Barnes, L., & Azasu, E. (2023). An Examination of Suicidal Behavior among Black College Students with Exposure to Police Violence. Social Work, 68(1), 18-27. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swac046