High rates of police brutality against minority groups have caused distrust and lack of confidence in the institution of policing by certain social groups. There is existent tension in minority communities amongst law enforcement and its citizens. They view police as the enemy and threatening, instead of protection, and this causes distrust of law enforcement. Often, these citizens use defense mechanisms when coming in contact with the law, and are reluctant to call for help when crimes do take place. The fear and the distrust of the minority groups keep them from reporting crimes in their communities, causing an ongoing social problem. The attitude of minorities towards law enforcement is primarily caused by them identifying themselves as targets of discrimination and…show more content… 324). Likewise, minority groups are the ones who also state that they fear crime and victimization the most, thus needing the support of law enforcement more than other social groups (p. 324). Police brutality amongst minority groups causes an ongoing concern within their community. Citizens not only fear the violence amongst their peers, but feel threatened by law enforcement as well. However, the cause of police brutality is still undetermined. While many officers abide by the law, some engage in police misconduct that gives the entire institution of policing a negative image. There have been studies done in order to settle issues involving police brutality against monitory groups, and find out causes of this type of behavior. Police brutality is a social issue that stems far beyond the mistreatment of minority groups by law enforcement officers, but an overall issue addressing racial inequality. The social structure that exists throughout the country plays a role in police brutality against minority groups. Theorists have suggested that “authorities perceive racially