Analysis

What do these findings mean?

Findings from this study highlight that communities experience intersecting forms of violence including high police surveillance, lack of community safety and resource deprivation. Participants discussed that they felt both under-protected by police, while also felt fear of over-policing.  Moreover, social disorganization in the community contributed to participants’ sense of being unsafe. Current policing and surveillance strategies disproportionately harm social cohesion and stability in already vulnerable communities. Over-policing has significant impact on community mental health and well-being. Furthermore, lack of safety contributes to disengagement from seeking health and social services, because of fear and anxiety of potential encounters with police. These multiple mental health concerns warrant trauma-informed care and services. 

Over the years, there have been numerous cases of police officers using excessive force and violating the rights of Black and Brown people, often with little to no consequences for their actions. Because of the existing pattern of police behavior, people of color feel uneasy when they have an encounter with the police. Hyper-surveillance has serious physical and mental health consequences. People who experience over-policing are more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Our study participants implied that they have experienced these symptoms. Our findings indicated that police using intimidation tactics to get information.  This type of policing is clearly illegal and an abuse of power.  However, our community members experience police harassment in more everyday situations such as going to the store.