Abstract
Less lethal weapons have become increasingly popular for law enforcement use when confronting dangerous, combative individuals in the field. On the use-of-force continuum, these technologies occupy an intermediate level between verbal and physical control methods and lethal force such as actual firearms. Less lethal weapons include riot control agents, electric stun devices such as tasers, and other blunt projectile weapons. Use of these less lethal technologies has been felt to increase both the safety of the intended target subject by supplanting the use of lethal force, as well as of the user by controlling and subduing dangerous, combative individuals. However, deaths have occurred in individuals following the use of such weapons, which were previously known as “less than lethal.” A causal link between these various technologies and case fatalities remains controversial.
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Sloane, C., Vilke, G.M. (2006). Riot Control Agents, Tasers, and Other Less Lethal Weapons. In: Ross, D.L., Chan, T.C. (eds) Sudden Deaths in Custody. Forensic Science and Medicine. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-015-7_8
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