COVID-19 Spurred New Alternatives to Arrest, But Can They Last?
WASHINGTON (Feb. 1, 2021)— The COVID-19 pandemic has defined the last year of Americans’ lives. However, it was not the only thing to plague our nation in 2020. Incidents of police brutality motivated by racial bias drove thousands to the streets to voice their anger and disappointment with our system of policing, all in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.
In an effort to create safer policing practices in response to the pandemic, many areas across the United States adopted or expanded alternative-to-arrest policies. Led by an increased use of citation in lieu of arrest, these policies helped reduce police-civilian interactions and unnecessary justice system involvement.