Community Policing Presentation

 

 


Victim advocates provide support to victims and their families navigating the criminal justice process, from community policing throughout sentencing and corrections. To be an empowered advocate for victims of all demographics, it is important to be able to identify the major aspects of multiculturalism and societal diversity within the American criminal justice system.

Scenario
Leaders at your agency for victim support services have asked the victim advocates to give presentations at an upcoming meeting of the city council or state legislature to advocate for improvements to community policing. Your agency wants to show the city or state leaders the current, accurate data that supports their claim that a particular demographic group has been disproportionately targeted or treated unethically by community policing practices and is in need of change.

Preparation
Refer to the gender, racial, or ethnic group you selected in your Wk 2: State Demographic Data assignment. This group should be represented in the prison demographics for your state and will be your focus as you examine the influence of gender, racial, or ethnic aspects of diversity in community policing.

Research statistical demographic information on the imprisoned populations in your state or local area. (You may use the same resources from last week’s assignment.) Examine data for the racial, ethnic, or gender group that you choose to study. Access the Detailed Data Tool from The Sentencing Project for data on these groups. 
Research at least 2 scholarly sources about issues in policing the selected gender, racial, or ethnic group.
NOTE: Please Review the Sample Presentation at the Bottom

Assessment Deliverable
Using data from your state or local area, create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation to city or state officials as if you were a victim advocate working on behalf of a community to recommend a plan for reducing disparity in the policing of minority groups.

Your presentation should include the following information with supportive examples from your research:

Cite relevant demographic information from state or local statistics on the race, ethnicity, or gender of the group you selected. Note any relevant disparities between groups.
Explain the roles of the various criminal justice agencies and representatives engaged in building rapport with the group you chose. Summarize the ethical responsibilities of criminal justice professionals to serve multicultural populations. Give an example of a risk to effective community policing that could occur based on an officer’s biases or lack of cultural competence with the selected population.
Identify aspects of multiculturalism and societal diversity to consider when policing this group. Describe how cultural, spiritual, or other factors may cause challenges for a minority defendant from this group during their interactions with law enforcement. Describe challenges to developing community policing practices impartial to gender, race, or ethnicity.
Propose at least 1 recommendation based on your findings for how to address the gender, racial, or ethnic disparity identified. Make a call to action for the city council or state legislature to implement changes based on your recommendation. (If no improvements are needed, recommend a strategy for maintaining the results that you identified.)
Formatting Requirements
Download and review the Presentation Template Example. This example has been customized to reflect your summative assessment presentation components and will help you get a better idea of how to organize your presentation so that you can focus on the slide content. Inputting your content into this presentation template is optional; you can use presentation software and design layouts of your choice to customize your presentation’s appearance (i.e., color, images, and font). However, ensure you have faculty member approval in advance to use other software.

Whether you use the presentation template example or another template of your choice, include the following slides and topics in your presentation:

Title
Introduction 
Demographics and disparities
Criminal justice agencies and roles in community rapport
Ethical responsibilities in serving diverse communities
Risk of bias or cultural incompetence in policing the selected group
Multicultural factors in policing the selected group
Challenges to developing impartial policing practices
Recommendation to address identified disparity

 

Criminal Justice Agencies and Roles in Community Rapport

 

Building rapport between criminal justice agencies and the Black community is essential for effective community policing. The police department is the first point of contact, and their role is to build trust through transparent, respectful, and consistent interactions. Victim advocates serve as a bridge, providing support to victims and their families while also communicating community concerns to law enforcement. Corrections officers and parole/probation officers are also critical, as their interactions with individuals after conviction can either rebuild or further erode trust in the justice system. For example, a parole officer who works to understand a returning citizen's challenges, rather than just enforcing rules, can help reduce recidivism and strengthen community bonds.

 

Ethical Responsibilities in Serving Diverse Communities

 

Criminal justice professionals have a clear ethical responsibility to serve multicultural populations impartially and with respect. This includes a commitment to equal protection under the law, unbiased treatment, and a recognition of the diverse needs and experiences of all community members. This ethical duty is enshrined in law and professional codes of conduct. Serving diverse communities ethically requires a deep understanding of cultural competency and the willingness to self-reflect on personal biases.

 

Risk of Bias or Cultural Incompetence in Policing

 

A significant risk to effective community policing is an officer's unconscious bias or lack of cultural competence. For example, an officer may disproportionately interpret behavior in a Black neighborhood as threatening or criminal due to preconceived stereotypes, a phenomenon known as racial profiling. This can lead to more frequent stops, frisks, and arrests for minor offenses, as well as a higher risk of the use of force. Such actions erode trust, discourage community cooperation, and can create a cycle of fear and resentment, making it more difficult to solve serious crimes.

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disproportionate Policing: A Call for Change in New York State

 

Introduction

 

Good morning. My name is [Your Name], and I'm a victim advocate working on behalf of communities across New York. We are here today to discuss a critical issue affecting our state's most vulnerable populations: the disproportionate policing of minority groups. Our goal is to present clear, evidence-based data that highlights this disparity and propose actionable solutions to create a more just and equitable criminal justice system for all.

 

Demographics and Disparities

 

In New York State, Black people are incarcerated at a rate 8.3 times higher than white people (Prison Policy Initiative, 2023). While the state's prison population has been declining, this racial disparity persists. According to a 2023 report, Black individuals made up 49% of the prison population, while being only around 15% of the state's residents. This stark overrepresentation demonstrates a clear disparity that begins with initial contact with law enforcement and continues through every stage of the justice system.