This study for the National Institute of Justice described current law enforcement and correctional agency practices in the use of less than lethal (LTL) weapons, assessed agency policies and procedures developed to control their deployment, and conducted a comparative analysis of different types of weapons presently used.
A national survey collected information about LTL weapons and their frequency of use, use situations, effectiveness and efficiency, positive and negative attributes, training, public acceptance, policies and procedures, and plans for future purchases. After an examination of many agencies' policies and procedures, an extensive legal analysis, a comprehensive review of the literature, and in-depth case studies at a number of sites, a comprehensive final report including recommendations for a continuing research agenda of direct practical utility to criminal justice professionals has been prepared. The legal analyses were published in April 1995 in the Creighton Law Review. ILJ continues to be involved in the assessment of LTL technologies and the public acceptance of these tools.