December 12, 2023 9:00 AM
Title: A case for trauma-informed policy and a procedural justice approach to addressing families’ needs after police-involved killings
Committee members: Mark Edwards, David Bernell, Scott Akins
Abstract: Police brutality, accountability, and the trauma of police violence is a burgeoning topic in the intersection of police reform and mental health awareness. New studies point to the uniquely devastating impact that police violence has on individuals, families, and communities. After the killing of a loved one by police, families in California have reported being kept in the dark and grilled for information. During police questioning they were often lied to about their loved one’s status, not told that their loved one had been killed or led to believe they were still alive. This enables police to pry out sensitive information, later used to the families’ disadvantage in legal proceedings. Procedural justice, the concept of fair and even handed exercise of legal authority by law enforcement, has been gaining popularity among those interested in improving police and citizen interactions. The current practices in California are in direct opposition to the principles of procedural justice and must be adjusted. Drawing from trauma-informed practices used within domestic violence shelters, this essay proposes policies be put into place regarding questioning families after police killings, to uphold the basic principles of procedural justice.