He Doesn’t!
I went to court the other day and overhead a tenacious injury lawyer presenting a case for his client. I didn’t care for the details, but when he started going into the medical and technical terms associated with Taser related injuries his client sustained I nearly wanted to hit him upside the head with, umm… a book!
I’ve had enough with all the TV shows, newspapers, and even educated newscasters feeding the American public with misleading information. Sensationalized headlines and articles are flooding the human mind to the point where we collectively become dumber and dumber by the minute.
If you picked up a newspaper, read an article on the Web, or watched TV in the last year, you probably heard of Tasers and their 50,000 volt strike. However, behind the smoke screen, there lies another number, and it’s closer to 5,000.
It seems the media doesn’t like to inform the public about all the pertinent facts – what a shocker. It’s not feasible to explain that a Taser’s power output is 50,000 volts (estimated) and penetrates the human skin releasing approximately 5,000 volts into the body. The real shock is 90% less, but no, the media likes to feed us the higher number, and we buy it. In all likelihood, 50,000 volts would kill the healthiest man or cause permanent brain damage in majority of survivors. So please, before you open your mouth and start up an interesting conversation, or a legal proceeding, get the facts straight.
F.Y.I. – Taser is actually the name of the company that manufactures stun guns. This device is widely used in the law enforcement community, especially by police officers. It is meant to protect the lives of law enforcement officers as well as those on the receiving end – mainly used as an alternative to lethal force. As with any weapon, injuries do occur, but are mainly caused by the fall to the ground (due to incapacitation). Deaths do occur, but are very rare.
You might also like:
- “Why I Ran” – A TV Show Law Enforcement Pros Must See
- Law Enforcement Careers – Jobs for Physically Disabled
- Happy Halloween to All Criminal Justice Online Blog Readers
- Michigan State University (MSU) – Master of Criminal Justice
- Homeland Security USA – TV Show on ABC
- Just Added, Criminal Justice TV Shows Category – Online
- Martin Luther King Jr. Era and the Criminal Justice System
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Great article addressing the significant confusion on the part of most media regarding Tasers and Stun Guns. I have bookmarked your article so as not to lose track of its content. Confusion (or ignorance) doesn’t stop with whether, or how much, injuries occur in the use of these electronic devices; it extends to what the differences are as well. Most don’t know the difference. Likewise, there is a lack of understanding of the relationship between volts and amps in these devices. I happen to offer a 4.5 million volt stun gun, and if there is near panic at 50,000 volts, just imagine the reaction to the very high voltage in one of my devices. The secret is the proper balance between volts and amps in order to keep the devices non-lethal. Thanks for helping us address this issue.
Recommend Criminal Justice Degree, College, and Career Blog to Your Friends