Police brutality has been a long lasting problem in the United States since at least 1903 when police Captain Williams of the New York Police Departmen coined the phrase, "There is more law at the end of a policeman's nightstick than in a decision of the Supreme Court." In the 1920's the Wichersham Commission had a number of instances of police brutality. Many of these included the use of the "third degree" (beating to obtain a confession). This is a very effective way to get a confession out of somebody. However, beating the accused could easily elicit a confession from a scared and innocent person. Also, this puts the accused person's life in danger. Police officers must make snap life and death decisions daily. Officers' work in an environment where death (theirs, their partners, and an innocent or guilty person) is one decision away. How does that constant fear effect an officer's perception? Unfortunately, many that are attracted to law enforcement are aggressive and prone towards violence as a solution. Police officers have a lot of power. With this power comes responsibility.

6. McDonald, C.P. (1991) Blue truth. New York: Donald I. Fine.

5. Kerstetter, W. (1985). Who disciplines the police? Who should? In Police Leadership in America: Crisis and Opportunity. (p. 160). New York: Praeger Ed.

It would have been so much easier for the judge, the jury, and the parents to understand why the brutal police officer had treated their young defendant/son so terribly.

· 91 percent used clinical interviews.

The National Institute of Justice reports that five different profiles were identified when psychologists characterized officers at risk for excessive force. The popular stereotype that a "few bad apples" are responsible for most, if not all, excessive force complaints was not supported by these responses; both individual personality characteristics and organizational influences were identified as contributing to abuse of force. Following are the responses when psychologists were asked about the characteristics of police officers referred to them for counseling because of excessive force problems:

· Mandated continuing officer education/counseling

Is police brutality on the rise? This is an important question to ask ourselves and the police departments. A study in seventeen counties in Northern California indicated that in the past two years excessive force and neglect has resulted in at least seven deaths and fatal injury. (Saari, no date) In fact a nine-month period from August 26, 1996 to June 29, 1997 seven citizens died as a result of police brutality. Sonoma County California currently has the highest rate of custody deaths in the bay area (Saari). In many cases the situation (according to police accounts) has rapidly escalated to a point where police feel the need to use deadly force. Many of those committing crimes are mentally ill. The Sonoma County Alliance for the Mentally Ill advises that police officers in confrontations with people experiencing psychiatric episodes:

Some common words found in the essay are:
Institute Justice, Unfortunately Robbins, Wayne Kerstetter, Mentally Ill, Department Justice, Wichersham Commission, Lani Soto, Robbins Robbins, Research Report, Tom Bradley, police officers, police brutality, excessive force, police brutality rise, kerstetter 1985, desantis 1994, brutality rise, police officer, rodney king, justice 1994, force ·, department justice 1994, national institute justice, times march 19, 19 1991 a20,
Approximate Word count = 2788
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)