Unsubstantiated use of force in the killing of Atatiana Jefferson: A critical policy analysis

Abstract

A sustained history of white supremacy is in the system of policing. Police engage in state-sanctioned murders of African American women. Too many times, police state-sanctioned violence is disregarded. A critical analysis and applicable theoretical frameworks were used to examine the Fort Worth Police Department's (FWPD's) Use of Force Policy in the case of Atatiana Jefferson's murder. The findings show cultural situatedness impacted this case. In other words, the normed cultural, social and environmental factors versus policy components influenced the case. The employed theoretical perspectives provide policymakers and researchers with critical viewpoints to deconstruct hierarchical systems of power that perpetuate injustices.