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The video entitled ‘Who Invented the Taser?’ covers the history and current issues surrounding the use of Tasers. The earliest use of electrical technology by police officers dates back to the 1960s and Civil Rights activism (Today I Found Out, 2019). The current use of Tasers illustrates the complexity of not only the tool but also the relationship between police officers and the public. Tasers help to save lives and prevent lethal force, but they are often misused. Additionally, the ethical framework states that less lethal technologies provide police and other agencies with an alternative to using other means of physical force that are potentially more dangerous to officers and suspects (Today I Found Out, 2019). However, the technologies currently in use include electrically conductive devices such as tasers, cartridges, pepper spray, and stun grenades, which are considered the least traumatic.
One of the related articles states that tasers fall into the general category of conducted electrical weapons or handheld conducted electrical weapons (CEWs). According to Kroll et al. (2019), studies reveal that the use of CEWs reduced injuries in subjects by 65% when compared to weapons such as pepper spray, batons, and manual control, which is a positive side. However, this type of weapon can cause muscle injury, such as rhabdomyolysis. A reduction in the violent and deliberate use of weapons is explained through the fact that CEW usage is less restrictive. Subject fatality with the use of CEWs in cases of resistant arrest occurs once in every 3000, while an arrest with resistance and no CEWs is higher at 1 in every 1000 (Kroll et al., 2019). It can be argued that tasers and other handheld electrical weapons greatly increase the chance of lethality to the subjects of arrest.
Another article that was used states that the use of Tasers against individuals experiencing mental distress is disproportionately high and poses some issues. First, according to Hallett et al. (2020), individuals with mental distress are more likely to come into contact with police officers during crisis events, which is a negative side. As a result of higher exposure, deaths and injuries occurred, but academic research into the occurrences is limited (Hallett et al., 2020). As such, the extent of taser misuse and the frequency of taser use on individuals experiencing mental distress may be vital to reducing taser-related challenges. No benefits have been found in the article related to this technology.
References
Hallett, N., Duxbury, J., McKee, T., Harrison, N., Haines, A., Craig, E., & O’Brien, A. J. (2020). Taser use on individuals experiencing mental distress: An integrative literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 28(1), 56-71. Web.
Kroll, M. W., Brave, M. A., Pratt, H. M. O., Witte, K. K., Kunz, S. N., Luceri, R. M. (2019). Benefits, risks, and myths of TASER® Handheld electrical weapons. Human Factors and Mechanical Engineering for Defense and Safety, 3(7). Web.
Today I Found Out. (2019). Who Invented the Taser? [Video]. YouTube. Web.
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