BODY-WORN CAMERAS: EXPLORING THE UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND ENSURING A ROLE FOR COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

Recent high-profile incidents of alleged police brutality, including the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Laquan McDonald, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and many others, have prompted calls for increased accountability and transparency in policing. Most recently, the death of Keith Lamont Scott at the hands of a police officer sparked several days of protests in Charlotte, North Carolina. Criminal justice advocates have called for a shift in the way law enforcement officials interact with the communities they serve. Policymakers must respond to community members' concerns about police tactics. Increasingly, law enforcement agencies are utilizing technology to both improve public safety and promote police accountability (and thus enhance legitimacy). Consequentially, many criminal justice experts have called for specific technologies to achieve these twin goals. The increased use of body-worn cameras has several benefits for both citizens and police.