Consent Decrees: An Approach to Police Accountability and Reform

Abstract

Federal consent decrees have been a method of police reform available to the federal government since the 1990s. The consent decree process has been shrouded in secrecy for many years. Recently, the methods and data have become available allowing for more detailed analyses of the objectives and outcomes of these agreements. As a result, several reviews of consent decrees have been conducted, noting the successes and failures. Overall, consent decrees are successful in the short term but have not been sustainable. With the changing political landscape, consent decrees may not be available in the near future, and efforts will revert back to the individual agencies and their political entities. This special issue provides a window into the inner-workings of consent decrees through the perspectives of individuals who are involved with them. The authors of the articles are all involved with consent decrees and are reporting their experiences and assessments.