Publication

This research note reviews the data on killings during ‘legal interventions’ -- i.e., the deaths both inflicted and suffered by law-enforcement agents while performing their duties –- between 2007 and 2012. More specifically, the note's authors examine 1) how inconsistencies in the data complicate research on homicides and other issues; 2) the variations that exist in how law enforcement officials use lethal force in different countries; and 3) the relationship between police reform and declines in violent deaths. The authors also overview the international regulations that govern the use of force by law enforcement agencies, and the factors that hinder data collection on 'legal' killings.