Body-worn cameras : an effective or cosmetic policing response to domestic and family violence? Naomi Pfitzner, Sandra Walklate and Jude McCulloch
By: Pfitzner, Naomi.
Contributor(s): Walklate, Sandra | McCulloch, Jude.
Material type: ArticleSeries: Criminology & Criminal Justice.Publisher: Sage, 2022Subject(s): DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | FAMILY VIOLENCE | INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE | JUSTICE | POLICE PROCEDURES | TECHNOLOGY | INTERNATIONAL | AUSTRALIAOnline resources: DOI: 10.1177/17488958221108478 In: Criminology & Criminal Justice, 2022, First published online, 2 July 2022Summary: Drawing together the literature on police body-worn cameras and video-recorded evidence in domestic and family violence matters, this article explores whether technology can ‘fix’ criminal justice responses to domestic and family violence. We argue that the use of police body-worn cameras and digitally recorded audio-visual evidence in domestic and family violence matters is not a cure-all for deficiencies in criminal justice responses to domestic and family violence. While the use of such technologies may alleviate some of the deficiencies highlighted in the Australian state of Victoria’s 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence, it raises serious concerns about victim’s agency and privacy. We argue that the introduction of such technologies requires significant investment in training and education – for police to adapt to their changed role and for judicial officers, legal practitioners and potential jurors in understanding and interpreting victim survivor behaviour on film. (Authors' abstract). Record #7698Criminology & Criminal Justice, 2022, First published online, 2 July 2022
Drawing together the literature on police body-worn cameras and video-recorded evidence in domestic and family violence matters, this article explores whether technology can ‘fix’ criminal justice responses to domestic and family violence. We argue that the use of police body-worn cameras and digitally recorded audio-visual evidence in domestic and family violence matters is not a cure-all for deficiencies in criminal justice responses to domestic and family violence. While the use of such technologies may alleviate some of the deficiencies highlighted in the Australian state of Victoria’s 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence, it raises serious concerns about victim’s agency and privacy. We argue that the introduction of such technologies requires significant investment in training and education – for police to adapt to their changed role and for judicial officers, legal practitioners and potential jurors in understanding and interpreting victim survivor behaviour on film. (Authors' abstract). Record #7698