WK7 The Police

Flashcards about criminology and criminal justice, focusing on the police and their role in the system.

What role do police play as 'gatekeepers' of the criminal justice system?

Police are the initial point of contact for individuals entering the justice system.

What latitude do police have in their decision-making?

Police decide whether certain behaviors are defined as criminal, how to respond, and when to stop, search, or arrest individuals.

What are the different roles of the police?

Upholding the law, crime fighters, social workers, and keepers of the peace.

What does upholding the law not consider?

Police discretion.

Besides fighting crime, what non-criminal tasks do police do?

Traffic stops, administrative duties, community relations.

What are some examples of how police act as social workers?

Provide information, settle family disputes, act as bereavement counselors, search for missing persons, and give first aid.

According to Bittner (1974), what differentiates the police from other occupations?

The ability to use force in any situation is the main characteristic that differentiates police from other occupations.

According to Waddington (1999), which marginalized groups are more susceptible to arrest?

The poor, the young (mostly males), ethnic minorities, unacceptable social movements, homeless people, and the mentally ill.

What is racism (Henkel, Dovidio & Gaertner, 2006)?

A widely accepted racist ideology and the power to deny other racial groups the dignity, opportunities, freedoms, and rewards available to one's group.

What is institutional racism?

The collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin.

What did the Scarman report find?

Found evidence of disproportionate use of stop and search practices against ethnic minorities.

What is the historical relationship between Māori and the NZ Police?

Historically fraught relationship between Māori and the NZ Police, enforcing Crown power.

How are Māori over-policed?

Māori are overrepresented in use of force events.

How are Māori under-policed?

Experiencing limited time, care and attention by police as victims of crime.

What is the Understanding Policing Delivery report?

Research commissioned in 2020 following the death of George Floyd that shows bias in policing at a systemic level.

What is the 'infotainment' style of media in Police Ten 7?

Follows police officers on their patrol and includes wanted offenders and asks for the public to help with their investigation.

According to Deckert, Busby-Pukeiti, Tauri (2023) what does data from Police Ten 7 episodes tell us?

Police Ten 7 significantly overrepresents Māori and Pasifika suspects in its total suspect airtime compared to official statistics.

What concerns were raised regarding the photographing of Rangatahi Māori?

Concerns made by the public that the NZ Police were deliberately stopping innocent Māori youth and children on the street to photograph and record personal details to add to a Police intelligence database.

Is police discretion always used in a way that results in arrest?

Police discretion is used in such a way as to ensure that most police/citizen encounters do not result in arrest.