Research Symposium

23rd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 6, 2023

Justin Robert he/him Poster Session 4: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm/ Poster #108


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BIO


I am from Orlando, Florida. My main research interests are anything within or adjacent to political science or environmental policy. I am involved with the Asian-American Student Union on campus, and you can generally find me in the Student Union. Currently, I am interning at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection during the 2023 Florida Legislative Session. My future goal is to be involved in environmental policy, so I am currently contemplating applying for law school to study environmental law.

Can 8 Wait? A Review of Police Use of Force Policies in Florida

Authors: Justin Robert, Tyler McCreary
Student Major: Political Science and Environmental Science & Policy
Mentor: Tyler McCreary
Mentor's Department: Geography
Mentor's College: Social Sciences and Public Policy
Co-Presenters: Lara Teixeira Japiassu and Mariah Szekeres

Abstract


The project seeks to answer the question, "does the presence of '8 Can't Wait' policies in law enforcement protocols decrease incidents of police use of force?" This project conducts a systematic review of police use of force policies across different city and county police jurisdictions in Florida, collected via email and public records requests. It evaluates which jurisdictions have adopted the “8 Can’t Wait” policy proposals, as well as an additional policy mandating the provision of emergency medical services in the event of physical harm. Once this systematic review is complete, an analysis will be done for possible statistical correlations between policies and reported incidents of police use of force, as well as any demographic trends in the areas where policies have been adopted.

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Keywords: Geography, Law Enforcement, Policy