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Mia Gilbert
Ms. E. Caruso
URWT 1103-019
Ms. E. Caruso
November 2, 2016
What Are the Effects of Police Brutality on Todays Society?
Police Brutality is defined as the action of imposing unreasonable force to achieve a
lawful purpose. This issue has become very prominent in todays society, and many decide not to
recognize it as such. What I intend to do is portray police brutality and its effects on society in a
way that cannot be ignored. I chose to create an artistic billboard to be placed in the uptown area
of Charlotte, which will hopefully raise awareness to the problem at hand. I am doing so mainly
because I believe that a large-scale work of art is the best way to portray what is really going on
in our society. In another sense, I also wish to showcase my artistic abilities with hopes of
touching the hearts of every person who views it.
In order to get my point across, I chose to make my billboard very detailed. Overall, it
depicts a riot scene between the police and minorities, one that weve seen many times before.
Between the people and the police, there is a cloud of thick smoke emerging from a can of tear
gas with silhouettes of a few of the souls lost at the hands of police brutality. On the right side of
the smoke, the people of minority stand in protest, portraying their pain and anger for the actions
that seem to have no end. The opposite side shows rows of riot police in full gear, ready to attack
the protestors at any moment. Behind all of this, local businesses are shown with broken
windows and raging flames, to show how police brutality not only damages people, but society

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as a whole. Lastly, a live news helicopter is shown covering the entire event, with the hopes of
bringing so much attention to the situation that something must be done about it.
While researching new information about police brutality, I stumbled upon many
scholarly sources which presented a variety of different viewpoints. The most prominent theory
out right now is that police are unlawfully brutalizing people of minority. Needless to say, many
of the officers involved in the shootings just so happen to be white. After going through many
articles describing the discriminatory acts of violence towards these minorities, one particular
quote stood out to me I found one that describes the proper term for such an act in this era, The
crime of walking while Black and driving, shopping, sitting, standing and merely existing
while Black in the United States is often punishable by death (Cox 1). This particular article
was so powerful stuck out to me because of the description that it gives for what goes on in our
everyday lives, which is exactly the case. I admire how Cox addresses the crime for what it is,
and not as the excuses made for it. In recent years levels of unauthorized police brutality have
skyrocketed risen enormously without proper reason. I admire how Cox addresses the crime for
what it is, and not as the excuses made for it. Truthfully, the origin of the crime has to do with the
oppressed people from minorities in our society.
Other negative effects of police brutality have to do with how people feel abouttowards
the men and women sworn to protect them. In an article by Sam P.K. Collins, he states, This is
genocide. You see it on the news every day and then you go outside where the police corner you
for no reason, (Collins 5). This statement is I chose this statement because it is very
truthfulpowerful in the sense that it shows how people feel about police brutality. The word
genocide is used to show that By calling it genocide, it is frowned upon because it is nothing
more than the unlawful and purposeful killing of a large group of humans, mainly those of a

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specific ethnic group or nation. In our society, genocide has been outlawed, but sadly there are
certain occupations that distort the reality of what is really going on. it seems as though many of
our sworn officers feel like they are cleansing our nation of its evils. I incorporated this into
my artwork by showing how innocent lives continue to be taken at the hands of police officers.by
police officers.
Police brutality has been going on for years, and will continue to do so if nothing is done
about it. In an article by Emily L. Hauser, she talks in depth about she highlights the fact that
nothing has changed because police officers do not hold themselves accountable for their actions,
nor are the held accountable by their superiors. As we all know, these wrongdoings have created
pure outrage among America, all directed towards officers. HauserShe declares
thatdeclaresclaims that this outrage is not enough to produce the desired change in this
murderous revolution, but that the key to sparking such a change is accountability, but this too
takes time. She states explicitly that, Outrage and awareness are not ends unto themselves. They
don't automatically translate to change (Hauser 5), meaning that we will never begin to see
positive progression as a nation until people take the time that to admit to their
wrongdoingsadmit that they made the wrong decision. When making the decision to accumulate
Hausers article into my paper, I took into account her own personal feelings toward the subject
and came to the conclusion that she too was very passionate and wanted to raise awareness to the
ongoing situation.
In conclusion I have decided that all of these ideas can easily be absorbed
intoabsorbedincorporated into my projects symbolization, which in so many words is that the
innocent innocent people are being brutalized and the guilty guilty people are getting away with
it all because of their job title. I chose to create a billboard in order do this in such a manner to

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raise awareness to the problem, with hopes that people realize that they too are potentially at risk
it could happen to them too. It is with great hope that I will be able to convey just enough
information in my billboard to make the change our society needs, to expand the minds of people
so that they realize that nothing will be done if everyone decides to sit back and turn a blind eye
to the fact that innocent lives are being lost at the hands of police officers.

References
New:

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Collins, Sam P.K. "How The Breakdown Of Trust With The Police Impacts Black Lives."
N.p., 31 July 2015. Web. 3 Nov. 2016 from
https://thinkprogress.org/how-the-breakdown-of-trust-with-the-police-impacts-black-livesdca8c95a6a74#.aakl2fpdg
Cox, Dolores. "Walking While Black - U.S. Society Divided by Racism." Workers World.
N.p., 08 Sept. 2014. Web. 03 Nov. 2016 from
http://www.workers.org/2014/09/08/walking-black-u-s-society-divided-racism/#.WBrdSforK01
Hauser, Emily L. "Why Outrage over Police Brutality Isn't Enough." Why Outrage over
Police Brutality Isn't Enough. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016 from
http://theweek.com/articles/585956/why-outrage-over-police-brutality-isnt-enough

Old:
Block, Melissa, and Michel Martin. "'The Talk:' How Parents Of All Backgrounds Tell
Kids About The Police." NPR. NPR, 4 Sept. 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. From
http://www.npr.org/2014/09/05/346137530/the-talk-how-parents-of-all-backgrounds-tell-kidsabout-the-police
Clifton, Derrick. "Powerful Video Shows the Painful Talk Parents Have With Their
Black Sons About the Police." Mic Network Inc. N.p., 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. From
https://mic.com/articles/113082/powerful-video-shows-the-painful-talk-parents-have-with-theirblack-sons-about-the-police#.cZKuAydF0
Schuck, Amie, and Denis Rosenbaum. "Global and Neighborhood Attitudes Toward the
Police: Differentiation by Race, Ethnicity and Type of Contact." SpringerLink. N.p., Dec. 2005.
Web. 29 Sept. 2016. From
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10940-005-7356-5