Body-Worn Cameras in Policing: Evidence, Gaps, and Guidance for Leaders

This brief discusses how body-worn cameras (BWCs) have mixed and limited effects on police and community member behavior. BWCs may reduce complaints and provide evidentiary benefits, but their effectiveness relies on policy, training, and organizational culture.
Adapted from Lum, C., et al. (2020). Body-worn cameras’ effects on police officers and citizen behavior: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1112, and Lum, C., et al. (2019). Research on body-worn cameras. Criminology & Public Policy, 18(1), 93–118. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12412.
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