Taking Tasers Seriously: The Need for Better Regulation of Stun Guns in New York analyzes 851 Taser incident reports from eight police departments across the state as well as 10 departments’ policies and guidelines for using the weapons, which deliver up to 50,000 volts of electricity and have caused the deaths of more than a dozen New Yorkers in recent years. The report concludes that police officers throughout New York State are consistently misusing and overusing Tasers.

The purpose of this booklet is to answer some of the perplexing questions people ask about their constitutional rights and how these rights apply to their daily lives. Some people assume that anything unfair is also unconstitutional, or that every wrong, particularly a serious wrong, violates a constitutional right. Some feel that the Constitution itself, by assuring the rights of unpopular, even hateful, people, sometimes grants too much freedom.

Have you ever been asked at a job interview if you are married or have children? Whether you’ve ever been arrested? Treated for a mental disorder? Has your employer ever sexually harassed you? Listened in on your phone calls? Refused time off for religious observance? Have you ever been denied unemployment benefits? Do you know if you can be fired for off-the job-conduct? For any reason at all?