Children and Police Violence

Are We Hurting Our Kids Through the Stories We Tell?

Von Kliem, BGD, MCJ, JD, LL.M.

At a recent Juvenile Justice Conference, I was invited to answer, “What are the best practices to ensure that children aren’t needlessly traumatized when viewing police violence?” Since most children, and adults for that matter, will never personally witness police violence, I was confident in my first piece of advice;

“ Shut off the television and stay off the internet.”

But, even if we could get parents to shield their kids from sensationalized media, we still must contend with the stories we tell each other. These stories provide context. They set our expectations and create the filter through which we experience, predict, and judge human behavior. 

Police violence is no different and is similarly understood and judged by the stories that surround it. A child’s reaction to violence, and subsequent degree of trauma, is determined, in part, by their real or imagined reason for the violence. It’s the difference between seeing your dad punched in a boxing ring and seeing him punched by armed police in the living room. One scenario provides clear context that most kids can understand. The other requires a sophisticated understanding of the law, facts, and behavioral science to fairly judge. 

That said, maybe it’s best not to see your dad, or anyone else, punched by the police. So, let’s start there. To the degree the police can avoid exposing children to violence and other coercive police tactics, that’s probably best.

But despite our best efforts, there will always be kids who witness police violence. Like all of us, they will interpret that violence in light of the stories they've heard--some true, some false, and some simply imagined. Like all of us, their collection of stories will come from whoever is available and willing to tell them. And, like all of us, they will subconsciously recognize and interpret evidence so as to confirm the truth of their stories--and ignore the rest. 

And here lies the central point. Some stories have tragically conditioned kids to believe that police are targeting them because of their skin color. Their default is to characterize every enforcement action as a product of racism. They are convinced that abuse, even death, at the hands of the police is routine—even likely. 

Although studies continue to refute these perceptions, simply yelling “that’s not true!” isn’t enough. We have to tell a better story. A story delivered with cultural sensitivity, persistence, and above all else, honesty. 

Changing the stories that surround and explain modern policing is challenging. Historic racism and cultural trauma can make it difficult for some communities to abandon their mistrust of the police. Skepticism is understandable in those who experience “racial trauma;” the psychological injury attributed to experiencing, witnessing, or hearing stories of personal or institutional racism. 

In his report, “The Impact of Racial Trauma on African Americans,” Dr. Walter Smith linked racial trauma with increased vigilance and suspicion, increased sensitivity to threat, increased psychological and physiological symptoms, increased alcohol and drug usage, and increased aggression. Researchers also observed symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, feelings of humiliation, poor concentration, and irritability. [1] 

Many of those affected by racial trauma, are exposed to multiple sources of stress and trauma unrelated to the police. Nonetheless, these symptoms can predictably bring people into repeated contact with the criminal justice system, putting them among your most important audiences.

Now, some of you will resist any suggestion that modern police are racist or that institutional racism continues to exist. There is strong support for your positions. But when it comes to protecting children from exposure to police violence, this social progress may not matter as much as we'd like.

Because the human brain doesn’t distinguish between what is vividly imagined and what is actually happening, children who believe they are targets of racist police can suffer from anxiety, fear, racial trauma, and severe forms of PTSD, whether the police are actually racist or not.

Whatever trauma a child might experience from seeing police violence, it is made worse when elements of malevolence, betrayal, injustice, and immorality become part of the story. Even the most routine enforcement actions can generate violent resistance and outrage when people are convinced they are part of an unjustly targeted community. No one deserves to go through life like that.

And so, “What are the best practices to ensure that children aren’t needlessly traumatized when viewing police violence?”  

The next section provides practical steps for police professionals committed to providing the healthiest, most accurate context through which children can fairly judge their experiences with modern police. 

After first reducing exposure to violence, police are encouraged to use empathy, education, and engagement to ensure that only the most accurate, and least traumatic, stories surround police decisions and use of force. (For those familiar with my article, “Defending American Policing,” unifying, pacing, and leading should come to mind.)

Reducing Arrest-Related Trauma in Children: Four E’s of Policy and Practice

Reduce Exposure to Coercive Police Conduct

Children do not intuitively know the difference between a lawful use of force or excessive force. To them, and many others, a lawful arrest is indistinguishable from a kidnapping. Reasonable use of force may be viewed as an assault. Managing perceptions is important. But before we endeavor to fix a problem, it may be wise to avoid it all together.

 Strategy: When possible, reduce children’s Exposure to coercive police conduct.

   ·        Continue to skillfully de-escalate and generate cooperation with professional communication and tactical responses.

·        Plan to execute warrants or make arrests when children are away.

·        Ask or insist that victims and children leave prior to the arrest of a relative.

·        Maintain professional presence and language. 

Influence the Context

It is not always possible to keep children from witnessing coercive police conduct. But we can manage the context through which they interpret the experience. The following strategies can be used to ensure the most accurate context is available to those children.

Strategy: Influence the Context through Empathy.

·        Validating the emotions of another through empathy is the fastest way to reduce anxiety, demonstrate respect, and establish a unified problem-solving identity. Look for opportunities to spend time talking with child-witnesses before, during, and after a police incident.

·        Consider general empathic statements, which might include, “This isn’t fun is it?” “Things got crazy tonight huh?” or “It can be scary when the police show up at your house can’t it?”

·        Specific empathy can be used after details are established. “It’s scary when daddy yells at the police huh?” “It sounds like you are worried that daddy might not be coming home again?” or “It sounds like you don’t like watching daddy hit mommy.”

·        Be sensitive that kids may be emotionally and chemically enmeshed with their dysfunctional and abusive parents. They may love, protect, and defend even the most abusive family members. Don’t insult the parent. (Other kids will be overjoyed that parent is gone!)

·        Finally, acknowledge any concern for their parent’s safety and use that to transition into education about the judicial or temporary custody process to reduce their fear and worry. 

Strategy: Influence the Context through Education.

·        Use-of-Force and arrest laws are complex and certainly not intuitive. Talk to kids at the appropriate age and developmental levels. Start vague, using broad concepts, and be prepared to answer more specific questions. 

·        Do not assume that their family or cultural norms are consistent with your own. Consider, “It’s not OK for daddy to scare mommy or hit her.” “It’s not OK for daddy to fight the police.” “Daddy knows he can’t have these drugs. They make people very sick.”

·        Explain in general terms where daddy is going and how long he might be there. Don’t promise timelines.

·        Reinforce that it isn’t their fault. Consider sharing similar stories from other calls to reassure them they are not alone. (Admittedly, no two situations are the same.)

·        Reinforce that they can always call the police when they don’t feel safe.

·        Let them watch post-arrest protocols, during which they should see calm officers taking responsibility for the safety of their family members.

·        Invite them to ask questions and consider a trauma-informed interview style.

Strategy: Influence the Context through Engagement.

·        Look for opportunities to engage with children outside the context of enforcement actions.

·        Traditional engagements may include participating in Police Athletic Leagues, D.A.R.E., G.R.E.A.T., Community Events, School Resource Officer Programs, attending Juvenile Intake or Therapy Sessions (when invited), and Citizen / Youth Academies.

·        Be cautious of the time and place of engagement. Some kids are put at risk by merely talking with the police. Even if you’ve talked before, give them the chance to avoid the engagement if they feel it isn’t safe. 

·        Within your department’s policies, be creative. My partner and I found jobs for teens, helped gang members find and move furniture for their families. We mowed grass, took them to church, provided them inspirational books, and even celebrated the arrival of their newborns. 

Leave Them Better than You Found Them

The children that witness police violence have too frequently suffered a lifetime of trauma. Whatever the effect seeing coercive police activity will have on their lives, it is certainly made worse by stories of racist police.

So, reduce children’s exposure to violence where you can. Empathize, educate, and engage in ways that give them and their families a reason to doubt and resist any suggestion that police are racist, abusive, or malevolent. 

We may not be able to save these kids from their unique family challenges or the struggles that inevitably await us all, but we can work in earnest not to make them worse. We can hope to leave them better than we found them...to give them a better story.

Footnotes:

[1] Turner, Erlanger A., PhD, (2016). Racial Trauma is Real: The Impact of Police Shootings on African Americans, (citing Bryant-Davis, T., & Ocampo, C. (2006). A therapeutic approach to the treatment of racist-incident-based trauma. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 6(4), 1-22; and Comas-Díaz, L. (2016), Racial trauma recovery: A race-informed therapeutic approach to racial wounds), last accessed on September 17, 2018 at https://psychologybenefits.org/2016/07/14/racial-trauma-police-shootings-on-african-americans/