Conducting a Systematic Social Observation of Body-Camera Footage: Methodological and Practical Insights

Abstract

Increased use of video recording technologies such as drones, smartphones, CCTV, and body-worn cameras (BWCs), provides researchers with modes for observing human behavior in their natural settings. Although not originally intended for empirical inquiry, these data sources facilitate a video data analysis (VDA) framework used in the social sciences. BWCs represent an emerging technology within this framework, and BWC footage provides valuable insight into situational dynamics at play during various social phenomena. When combined with systematic social observation (SSO), researchers are well-equipped to unpack social phenomena in a manner that overcomes many challenges of traditional qualitative methodologies. This article incorporates a practical example detailing the application of these techniques in the context of a research project on police use of physical force. We provide a roadmap for researchers and practitioners interested in applying SSOs to a VDA framework which relies on BWC footage as a data source. Throughout the article we describe pertinent challenges associated with this method of inquiry and offer the ways in which such challenges can be navigated.

Situational factors and police use of force across micro-time intervals: A video systematic social observation and panel regression analysis

“…As already discussed, technological limitations prevented us from coding the first 30-seconds of each video or including multiple coders in the SSO. Even though the nature of our data collection protocol and active management of the SSO helped maintain coding reliability, a BWC system equipped with video streaming capabilities (meaning videos can be viewed remotely, rather than exclusively on-site at the NPD) would have offered several methodological benefits (Chillar et al, 2021).…”

“…VDA instead involves the analysis of pre-existing footage to understand how phenomena of interest transpire within their native settings Legewie, 2019, 2021). Researchers can overcome traditional limitations of qualitative research-such as recall error, the Hawthorne effect, and embellishment (or blatant dishonesty) on the part of research participants-by leveraging video footage in SSO (Chillar et al, 2021;Piza and Sytsma, 2016).…”

“…3 Coding instruments take on increased importance in VDA research of BWC footage, given that prior research has found different viewers can interpret the same BWC footage differently, especially when they lack practical policing experience (Boivin et al, 2020). Strict adherence to a coding instrument, combined with the aforementioned regular team meetings, supported a reflexive process that minimizes the risk that any ontological or epistemological assumptions impact the data collection (Chillar et al, 2021). These processes help to maintain face and content validity of the analysis, which are key but easily overlooked considerations of research using video recordings as a data source (Parry et al, 2021).…”

“…We operationalized the end of each encounter as the time of resolution, defined as a natural break in the event upon which full civilian compliance was secured. The time of resolution took a several forms, including an arrest, officers placing the civilian within the patrol car, and officers leaving the scene (Chillar et al, 2021). Prior VDA research has similarly used natural breaks in event sequences to identify stages of civilian encounters (Sytsma and Piza, 2018).…”

A Three-Step Reliability Strategy Applied to Police-Worn Body Camera Footage

“…As a record, the visual components of video footage make the information easier to process for the observer (no reading) and for the researcher (no physical observation). For police BWC footage, researchers can study inherently complex interactions that include rare and difficult-too-observe aspects of police events and decision-making [1]. Inferences from police BWC footage, whether general observation or researchbased, often assume the trustworthiness of video footage content.…”