Do Negative police encounters affect the health of black men?

2 | April | 2020

A 2020 article by researchers at the george washington UNIVERSITY examines the complex relationship black men have with the police, and if this is causing a public health crisis.

Introduction

An emerging body of literature suggests the mental health impact of mass incarceration on not just Black men, but also their families and communities. Few studies have explored the full range of mass incarceration, which can include practices like “stop and frisk, cash bail, sentencing, incarceration, parole, and re-incarceration” (Bowleg 2020). When and how Black men encounter police is a crucial precursor in mass incarceration, one that is largely understudied with respect to health inequities.

Empirical evidence proves that White and Black men engage with law enforcement in largely disproportionate ways. For example, police are known to speak more disrespectfully to Black people, are more likely to shoot Black people, and more likely to use excessive lethal and nonlethal force. Even “The Talk”, a conversation parents of African American children have to discuss the strategies of dealing with and avoiding law enforcement, is an example of the ever present negative interactions Black people have with the police (Bowleg 2020).

Methods

• 891 Black men ages 18 to 44 completed computer surveys (2015 - 1016)

• Participants were from 9 diverse neighborhoods in Washington DC

• Each received a $50 cash incentive

• The participants were placed in focus groups of 5 to 11 men, led by a trained Black male facilitator

• Sessions lasted 90 to 120 minutes and were both digitally audio recorded and professionally transcribed

• The focus group narratives shaped the definitions used in the study

A few key findings

According to this study, it is critical that police training addresses the implicit bias that drives officers to tactics like hyper-policing, aggressive policing, and fatal shootings. Because most Black men are found innocent during stop and frisk searches, the laws surrounding this policy must be repealed in a way that doesn’t negatively affect innocent Black men.

The effects of policing are rarely addressed in mental health practices, reflected by a large void of critical research on the topic.

Avoiding the police serves as a coping mechanism for Black men who have no history of incarceration; for men that have a history of incarceration, the stress needed to avoid the police will use most - if not all - the mental energy a man needs to protect himself against the symptoms of depression.

Negative encounters can be associated with trauma when experienced firsthand.

Vicarious trauma is a real thing, especially when we as Black Men observe police violence.

The effects of police violence are especially pronounced for men that have been incarcerated and currently unemployed. These men are more likely to stay at home, which isn’t a successful strategy to reduce depression like visiting family and friends or spending time outdoors would.

• The group of researchers responsible for this study are pictured above.
  

References

Bowleg, L., Maria del Río-González, A., Mbaba, M., Boone, C. A., & Holt, S. L. (2020). Negative Police Encounters and Police Avoidance as Pathways to Depressive Symptoms Among US Black Men, 2015–2016. American Journal of Public Health, 110(S1), S160-S166.