Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Lim, Caroline

Abstract

Background: A 2018 study revealed that members of the African American community and those from marginalized communities experience sadness, depression, anxiety and an overall decrease in mental health after the shooting or killing of an unarmed African American or Latino by a white police officer in their city or state (Bor et al., 2018). Experiencing, witnessing or hearing stories of others who have been victims of police brutality has contributed to increased levels of anxiety when anticipating an encounter with law enforcement or when needing assistance from law enforcement (Alang et al., 2017; Davis & Jackson, 2023). Studies have also shown that individuals who have been victims of police brutality or witnessed it, may begin to experience PTSD after the incident (Radford et al., 2023). Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the effects of police brutality on marginalized communities. Methods: The researcher will use an exploration and qualitative research approach. Due to limited data on the topic, an exploratory study will be conducted. The researcher will recruit approximately 20 participants or more. Participants must be 18 and older who are of African American descent or from other marginalized groups, live in Southern California and have experienced police brutality. Participants will be recruited by using non-probability sample techniques, specifically convenience sampling. Convenience sampling allows participants to inform the researcher that they meet the criteria and are interested in participating in the study.

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