Ehmann 1

Billy Ehmann
Mrs. DeBock
English IV
September 24, 2015
Annotated Bibliography
Essential Question: Are there disadvantages to using body cams in law enforcement?
Working Thesis: There are disadvantages to law enforcement using body cams.
Refined Thesis: Law enforcement face many disadvantages wearing body cams due to privacy
concerns, human error, and underlying social stigma.

Tsin Yen, Koh. "Counterpoint: Body Cameras Are Not A Cure For Policing Problems." Points Of
View: Body Cameras For Police Officers On Patrol (2015): 1. Points of View Reference
Center. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.

This article was helpful in the form that it briefly covered every topic I have chosen to
put in my thesis statement. From privacy concerns relating to publicizing the videos for comical
reasons, or just simply filming a bystander. The officers only capturing the details on the camera
from the officers point of view. And wrapping up with a criminology professor discussing the
underlying social problems not being directly addressed such as racism. This article contains
many compelling facts and a treasure trove of information pertaining to this topic that helped me
learn and understand it on a deeper basis.

Ehmann 2
Police Departments Issuing Body Cameras Discover Drawbacks. All Things Considered 22
Jan. 2015. Opposing View Points in Context. Web. 21 Sept. 2015

This article was about a group of individuals discussing issues of body cameras on a live
radio talk show. They discuss related topics such as whether or not tax dollars should be spent on
this technology. They also provide evidence of these body cams not being effective in archived
sound bites. One of such that discusses an officer responding to a domestic violence call only to
be shot and killed by the boyfriend after he says he has no weapons on his person. This interview
discusses many of the violence related aspects to body cams. Such as whether or not it provokes
police officers to change their behavior.

"Considering Police Body Cameras." Harvard Law Review 128.6 (2015): 1794-1817. Business
Source Premier. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.

What is so very interesting about this article is that it goes in depth about the social
stigmas not addressed in the pursuit of using these cameras. Predominantly by discussing the
permanent impact on the country and the city of Ferguson, Missouri due to the shooting of
Michael Brown. They also mention the fact that humans themselves can be harmful to this
situation. The article states that in New Orleans it is not a fireable act if one refuses to record
and use the body cam. This is very unique information and allows the reader to address the
problems involving the officers themselves and not the cameras.