2 ms·

How would you characterize their current incentives?

• giantg2 4y ago
  The real negative I've seen is the culture. Backing up your brother is more important than doing what is right. Racist or dehumanizing banter can be rampant in some departments too. The incentive is that they want to be part of the "in" group and not ostracized, or worse.
• mindslight 4y ago
  Police are effectively unbound by the laws they claim to uphold - unless the case is egregious, there is an extreme amount of public outrage, and the DA has a spine. As the damage they cause is attributed to "the state" rather than their personal decisions, they have little incentive to keep that damage to a minimum. Essentially, for any situation involving "the police" you should be asking yourself what would happen to a non-police citizen who did the same thing.
  • bumby 4y ago
    You've outlined the lack of a negative incentive (the lack of accountability) but I was asking more about the positive incentive. I.e., what is there incentive for doing the things society doesn't want them to do? E.g., if the IRS doesn't hold me accountable, there is no negative incentive to stop me from cheating on my taxes. However, I may still pay my taxes because I have a positive incentive to fund social programs I value.
    • mindslight 4y ago
      It's selfishly safer to use deadly force on someone that might possibly defend themselves, and it's easier to shoot someone who may run away rather than having to chase. Take a look at footage from countries where the police don't carry guns to see the type of physical work American police are shirking.