Militarized Police: Lessons From The 1971 STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT

[TrollBuster9090]

For those of you familiar with the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment of 1971, you'll understand the obvious. If you dress cops up like an occupying army, very soon they'll start THINKING of themselves as an occupying army; as will the people in the neighborhoods they patrol.

In the Stanford University Experiments of 1971 a group of students were randomly assigned to be either a prisoner, or a prison guard. The prisoners had to wear prison gowns, and the guards wore the usual guard uniform, complete with sun glasses and night stick. The experiment didn't last long, because it wasn't long before both groups got so into their roles that the guards were becoming brutal, and the inmates were becoming resistant and rebellious. The experiment had to be terminated.

Simple lesson: If you dress community police up as an occupying army, they'll start acting like one; and the neighborhoods they patrol will start acting like an occupied country.

[johnlucas]

1. It's amazing how moldable human beings are

It doesn't take much to mold people into a certain mentality.
They're like clay. You can shape 'em anyway you want.
I think we overestimate the power of our own minds.
People tend to conform rather than non-conform.
They desperately want to fit in with the group.

That's why I get nervous when I find myself in a crowd.
Crowds don't think. Crowds are just led.
I can work WITH an organization but I can't join organizations.
Too much danger in losing who I am within the group.
Everybody thinks they can maintain individuality within a group but the reality is a lot different.

Groups go further than individuals, that's true.
But what about the dangers that come from the need to belong?
John Lucas