Program Learning Objective: Modern Criminology and

Criminal Justice Issues

By Kyle Bean

The 21st Century has brought a host of new challenges to our communities and law

enforcement agencies. Law enforcement officers are confronted by addiction and untreated

mental illness on a daily basis, sometimes with tragic results. As agencies confront these

challenges, the public is demanding more accountability and transparency. Law enforcement

leaders must be able to examine existing policies, adopt new strategies, and improve outcomes in

order to preserve public trust.

In my own experience I have witnessed the changing public opinion regarding law

enforcement use of force policies, addiction, and mental illness. In Executive Summary: National

Use of Force Recommendations, I propose policies that a police agency can adopt to increase

public trust and preserve the safety of its employees. In A Public Health Approach to End

Addiction, I examine the successes of decriminalizing drugs to improve treatment. Finally, in

Communicating to Avoid Tragedy, I examine how the principles of empathetic communication

led to the safe resolution of a potentially explosive situation involving a veteran suffering from

mental illness.

Due to several high profile tragedies involving police use of force since 2014, the public

has been demanding greater accountability from its police agencies. In Executive Summary:

National Use of Force Recommendations, I suggest ways that a police agency can improve their
training and response to mental illness for better outcomes that preserve a police officers right to

protect themselves. I also offer recommendations for including the public in the decision making

process and improving communication regarding critical incidents.

Drug addiction is frequently the cause of many high profile contacts between law

enforcement and the public. Fifty years after the war on drugs began, historic levels of drug use

and addiction plague American society. In A Public Health Approach to End Addiction, I discuss

the strengths and successes of decriminalizing drugs. Decriminalization would work to redirect

resources to treatment and reduce the stigma that poses a barriers to those affected by addiction.

The second part is making Medically Assisted Treatment widely available to ensure that support

is accessible. With the failed war on drugs, it may be time to consider the alternatives.

Too many tragic encounters between the police and the public are triggered by mental

illness. It is essential that police officers adopt proven communication strategies that create

successful outcomes. In Communicating to Avoid Tragedy, I examine how the principles of

communication worked to resolve a potentially lethal encounter between a suicidal veteran and

police officers. Using empathy and patience to de-escalate the encounter, we were able to turn

the direction of the confrontation and connect the veteran with treatment.

Use of force, addiction, and mental illness are just a few of the modern criminal justice

issues facing law enforcement today. By critically examining our response and adopting best

practices, law enforcement leaders can encourage social change and strengthen our bonds with

our communities.