Thinking fast, not slow: How cognitive biases may contribute to racial disparities in the use of force in police-citizen encounters

Purpose: To illuminate how racial disparities in police use of force may arise and to guide research aimed at explaining such disparities. Methods: We draw on research on policing, racial disparities in criminal justice, and cognitive bias and decision making to argue that police-citizen encounters require rapid assessments that demand reliance on cognitive shortcuts, or heuristics, that may influence the use of force. Results: When cognitive shortcuts rely on biases about the dangerousness of racial minorities, they can contribute to disparities in the use of force. These biases may interact with those that citizens hold, which creates a greater potential for disparities. In addition, biases of officers and citizens may be influenced by such factors as officer training, social context, and reaction time. Conclusions: Research is needed that identifies cognitive shortcuts used during police-citizen encounters, conditions under which they are activated, and strategies for minimizing their role in contributing to racial disparities in the use of force.