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Why does this reading focus on black boys specifically rather than black youth, or even black males as a whole?
Youth come in contact with police more than adults; black youth attract the attention of police more than others and are therefore policed more heavily
What does Henning mean by the "black juvenile super-predator"?
A “new generation of street criminals” who were described as impulsive, brutal and remorseless preteen boys who commit a plethora of serious, violent crimes (murder, rape, rob, deal drugs, join gangs, etc.)
What was Dilulio's "theory of moral poverty" mentioned at the beginning of the reading?
"The theory of being without loving capable, responsible adults who teach you right from wrong; the poverty of growing up in the absence of people who teach morality through their own example and insist that you follow suit"
At the beginning of the reading, there was a study mentioned that looked into police perceptions of black youths ages and innocence. What were the results of this study?
Black children (who the police were told were guilty of a crime even though they were innocent) were perceived to be as guilty as nonblack adults. Essentially, they are perceived to be older than they truly are, and as such are viewed as less innocent.
What does Henning mean by the "school-to-prison" pipeline?
Youth that are more heavily policed and have more interactions with the criminal justice while still in school are more likely to continue to have run-ins with the CJ system throughout adulthood
How does Power of the Benefit of the Doubt apply to issues discussed in this reading?
The author mentions how police purposely would pull over black youth for small things such as “being out too late at night”, “wearing a dark hoodie”, “gathering in groups”, etc. If they were white kids, they would have been given the benefit of the doubt that they weren’t doing anything wrong.
How does the Power of Accumulated Power apply to the issues discussed in this reading?
Individuals in the police force are, for the most part, white (especially within the context of this reading). So the one’s with the power to enforce certain rules are the dominant group, while the subordinate group has to do their best to follow along with what they want because they don’t have many of their people in positions of power.
What neurological evidence does the reading give that explains why youth may act a certain way when interacting with police?
Kids will be kids; the section of the brain responsible for decision-making, self-regulation and impulse control is the last to develop. Children react and may even retaliate in certain ways not because they choose to, but simply because they are kids and they don’t have the life experience nor the developed brain regions to know any better.
How did Henning describe how black boys may "resist" in interactions with law enforcement?
May look like running away, speaking out against what they perceive as unfair treatment, curse or talk back, and may even get physical
How does police response time (or lack thereof) contribute to the perception of law enforcement in black communities?
Slow response times, lack of response to situations, or lack of investigation contribute to the dynamic of distrust between black communities and law enforcement.
They are less likely to reach out for help in future situations, and more likely to handle it themselves (often in illegal ways).
What is reasonable articulable suspicion? How is this used by police in the reading?
Allows law enforcement to stop individuals based on objective, obvious, and articulable belief that they are/have/will commit a crime. This means they would have to be able to explain their reasoning for the stop in a court of law.
Has very arbitrary laws and procedures surrounding it, allowing for police to stop black boys simply because they were wearing a dark hoodie, were unaccompanied by an adult, or were gathering together in a group.
How does the way law enforcement describe black boys while responding to a 911 call affect their treatment of them?
The usage of vague descriptions while responding to 911 calls can cause a plethora of black youth to be at risk of being stopped by the police
Can lead to police assuming the black youth is more threatening and violent than they actually are, leading to a more rough and potentially fatal treatment of them
Throughout this reading, Henning breaks down the legal socialization of black boys within their families, schools and communities. Pick one of these settings and talk about how the unique experiences within that setting impact their perception of police.
Family: Family members often have their own negative experiences that are passed down as lessons to younger members of the family.
School: Interactions with SROs from a young age color perceptions of police (especially negative interactions).
Community: Heavy policing in their neighborhood, an increased frequency of stops, and their treatment during those stops.
How may police view resistance from a black boy? How does that impact the outcome of their interaction?
Police view running-away or avoiding interactions as a manifestation of guilt, so they are more likely to treat that individual as a guilty suspect regardless of any perceived wrongdoings (or lack of).
Any talking back, cursing, or refusal to follow directions is viewed as disrespect rather than distrust or fear, often escalating the situation.
How do the perceptions that police and black boys have of each other impact their interactions, as well as the outcomes of those interactions?
Police expect black boys to cause trouble during a stop, and black boys expect that police officers will be disrespectful and will harm them.
How does the increased ability of African Americans to share their experiences impact the collective perceptions of police? How does vicarious trauma play a part in this?
Some may hear about more interactions with police than they themselves actually experience, so their perceptions of law enforcement are also shaped by the collective experiences of those around them.
(Rise of social media's contribution to this)
Judicial Reform: Why should race and age be considered when discussing reasonable articulable suspicion?
Youth may react differently to police encounters (Ex: Flight might be reasonable for youth)
Rather than flight being viewed as a manifestation of guilt, it is more correctly viewed as a want/need by black boys to interact with a corrupt system as little as possible
School Reform: What action did the author suggest regarding SROs and their role in schools?
Decreasing the presence of SROs within schools, or at least minimizing the amount of control they hold so that they are only involved in more serious situations (i.e. drug or gang related activities).
Community Reform: What was the community-based recommendation for black youth and police interactions?
Implementing "interaction" programs between black youth and police within the community. Essentially taking police out of their professional environment to facilitate normal interactions (lack of power imbalance).
Procedural/Police Reform: What training and procedural changes did the author discuss in the reading?
Better training, specifically geared towards addressing implicit biases, to teach officers how to treat all individuals fairly and with respect.