The number of felony suspects fatally shot by police last year — 461— was the most in two decades, according to a new FBI report. This year, a USA TODAY analysis of the FBIs justifiable homicide database during a seven-year period ending in 2012 found an average of 96 incidents each year in which a white officer killed a black person. The new 2013 total of justifiable killings represents the third consecutive increase in the annual toll. Criminal justice analysts said the inherent limitations of the database — the killings are self-reported by law enforcement, and not all police agencies participate in the annual counts — continue to frustrate efforts to identify the universe of lethal force incidents involving police. It is irresponsible that we dont have a complete set of numbers, [University of Nebraska criminologist] Samuel Walker said. Whether the numbers are up, down or stable, this (national database) needs to be done. ... This is a scandal.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 04:23:20 +0000