Gender, police-community contacts, and situational outcomes

Abstract

Abstract Recent research in policing focuses on the nature of the police-citizen interaction itself. However, little of this research prioritizes the role that community member gender plays in these interactions. We examine how gender can influence a range of police outcomes including de-escalation and procedurally just policing behaviors. Using body-worn camera (BWC) footage from over 700 police-community member encounters, this study examines how gender, along with other situational factors including contact type, guardianship, and levels of resistance influence a range of police outcomes. Findings indicate that while gender did not directly influence police action, other situational characteristics of police encounters did. Police training protocols should focus on how police can account for some of these characteristics to improve decision-making and increase use of de-escalation techniques.