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U-M Study: Police Interactions Are A Leading Cause of Death For U.S. Black Men

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New research out of the University of Michigan has found that police are the sixth leading cause of death among young black men. 

About 100 in 100,000 black men and boys will be killed by police during their lives, while 39 white men and boys per 100,000 are killed by police - U of Mich. study

Researchers behind the study say the findings refute the narrative that police altercations that result in the deaths of black men are isolated cases. 

Dr. Michael Esposito is a study author. He said the study included several kinds of death under the umbrella of police use of force.

“We counted shootings, stabbings, asphyxiation. Anything that was police use of force that caused the death of an individual," said Esposito.

Esposito said police deaths were 2.5 times more likely among young black men than among young white men.

He said the study shows police deaths are a health problem for young black men that cannot be ignored. 

The study also shows that other minority groups are at high risk for death by police use-of-force—in particular, American Indian/Alaska Native (55 per 100,000) and Latino (53 per 100,000) men and boys.

 

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