ABSTRACT
Federal consent decrees have been used to reform police organizations in the United States for more than two decades. Agencies having completed consent decrees and the data accumulated in the process, however, have rarely been examined. Meanwhile, the approach has become controversial as some see consent decrees as restrictive and costly to police and others view them as promising for improving police accountability and performance. Considering the confusion and controversies surrounding consent decrees, this paper provides a review of related policies, processes, and outcomes to develop a more accurate understanding of the nature of consent decrees and the specific areas that need to be addressed in order to bring about meaningful changes in policing.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
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Allan Y. Jiao
Allan Y. Jiao received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. He has published extensively in policing and criminal justice, including refereed journal articles, books, and book chapters. Dr. Jiao is currently a professor of Law and Justice Studies at Rowan University. His research interests include policing and comparative criminal justice issues.