Policing Final

Department of Justice (DOJ)

The federal executive department responsible for enforcing the laws of the United States.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The domestic intelligence and security service of the United States, which also serves as the nation’s prime federal law enforcement agency.

State Bureaus of Investigation (SBI)

State-level agencies that conduct criminal investigations and provide technical support to local law enforcement.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

A federal agency that enforces laws related to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives, and arson.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

A federal agency tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the United States.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

A federal department responsible for public security, including anti-terrorism, border security, immigration, and cybersecurity.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The federal agency responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing tax laws.

U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)

The oldest federal law enforcement agency, responsible for protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and transporting prisoners, and protecting witnesses.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

Provides training to law enforcement professionals from various federal, state, local, and international agencies.

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

A nationwide, cooperative statistical effort of law enforcement agencies to report data on crimes.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

An independent agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Part of the DHS, CBP employs approximately 60,000 personnel to protect the U.S. borders and facilitate lawful trade and travel.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

A federal agency responsible for ensuring the security of the traveling public in the United States.

Witness Protection Program

A program managed by the U.S. Marshals Service that provides new identities and protection for witnesses and their families.

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)

A computerized index of criminal justice information (e.g., criminal record history information, fugitives, stolen properties).

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

The federal agency responsible for the management and regulation of federal correctional institutions, overseeing the incarceration of federal offenders.

U.S. Secret Service

An agency under the Department of Homeland Security that protects the President, Vice President, and visiting foreign dignitaries, and investigates financial crimes such as counterfeiting.

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

A component of the Executive Office of the President that establishes policies and priorities for the nation's drug control program.

Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

A component of the U.S. Department of Justice that supports innovative crime reduction strategies through community policing initiatives.

National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

The research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice that provides knowledge and tools to help law enforcement agencies across the country.

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

A federal agency that collects, analyzes, and publishes data on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels.

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

A nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers in the United States.

Federal Protective Service (FPS)

A federal agency that provides security and law enforcement services to federal facilities and their occupants.

Civil Rights Division

A division of the DOJ that works to uphold and protect the civil rights of all citizens through enforcement of laws against discrimination.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and investigating customs violations, as well as combatting transnational crime.

Old English System of Policing

The system whereby citizens enforced laws in the community prior to formal policing in England.

Frankpledge System

A law enforcement system developed in 1066 in England where males above age 12 formed groups called 'tithings'.

Tithing

A group formed under the Frankpledge System consisting of men from a neighborhood who engaged in law enforcement duties.

Sheriff

An officer appointed by the king in mid-1000s England to maintain order, adapting from 'shire reeve'.

Posse Comitatus

The practice of deputizing common citizens to assist the sheriff.

Constable

The first police official with responsibilities greater than protecting local neighbors, tracing back to Anglo-Saxon England.

Coroner

An elected official responsible for overseeing criminal and financial interests, determining causes of death.

Justice of the Peace

A local magistrate responsible for civil and criminal cases, with origins tracing back to late 1100s England.

Political Era of Policing

The first era of American policing from the 1840s to 1930s focused on patronage and local political influence.

Reform Era of Policing

The era from 1930s to 1980s that aimed to professionalize policing and remove political influences.

Community Era of Policing

The era starting in the 1980s focused on cooperation between police and community members to solve issues.

Peel’s Principles of Policing

A set of guidelines proposed by Sir Robert Peel highlighting the importance of public cooperation in policing.

Modus Operandi (M.O.)

The method of operating used by criminals, identified as a key concept in professional police investigations.

August Vollmer

A police reformer known for promoting professionalism and scientific approaches in policing.

O.W. Wilson

A police chief and reformer who emphasized the 'crime fighter' image of police in the 1930s.

Wickersham Commission

The first study of criminal justice in 1929 advocating for police reform and better working conditions.

Community Policing

A policing strategy that emphasizes problem-solving and community engagement to enhance public safety.

Cultural Diversity in Policing

Recognizing and adapting policing strategies to meet the needs of a diverse community.

Civil Service Systems

Systems created to professionalize police departments and reduce political influence in hiring.

Salem Witch Trials

A series of hearings and prosecutions in the 1600s that exemplified extreme societal reactions to perceived crime.

The Quaker Challenge of Puritan Values

A major cultural conflict in colonial America, highlighting differing societal norms and responses to behavior.

Bureaucracy

A system of administration characterized by strict procedures, division of labor, and a hierarchical structure.

Chain of Command

The line of authority within an organization, where each member reports to one superior.

Civilianization

The practice of assigning non-sworn personnel to perform tasks traditionally handled by sworn officers.

Consolidated Policing

The merging of two or more police agencies to form a single entity, aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs.

First-Line Supervisor

Typically a sergeant, responsible for directly supervising patrol officers and ensuring they perform their duties effectively.

Middle Managers

Officers such as captains and lieutenants who manage specific units or divisions within a police department.

Mintzberg Model

A framework that describes the roles and functions of chief executive officers, including interpersonal, informational, and decision-making roles.

Municipal Police Departments

Local law enforcement agencies that serve cities or towns.

Rural Policing Institute

An institute created to address the training and resource needs of law enforcement agencies in rural areas.

Sheriff

The elected head of a county law enforcement agency, responsible for law enforcement, jail management, and other duties.

Span of Control

The number of subordinates that one supervisor can effectively manage.

Unity of Command

The principle that each officer should report to only one superior to avoid conflicting orders.

Community-Oriented Policing (COPPS)

A strategy that emphasizes building relationships between the police and the community to collaboratively address crime and disorder.

SARA Model

A problem-solving model consisting of Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment used in policing.

Problem-Oriented Policing (POP)

A policing strategy that focuses on examining underlying causes of recurring crime and involves routine problem-solving efforts.

Situational Crime Prevention

Strategies aimed at increasing effort needed to commit a crime, increasing risks, and reducing rewards of crime.

Racial Profiling (DWBB)

Discriminatory practice targeting individuals based on their race for suspicion of crime.

CompStat

A performance management system that uses crime data to identify trends and hold police accountable for crime reduction.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

A strategy that applies principles of environmental design to reduce crime and enhance quality of life.

Repeat Victimization

The phenomenon where individuals or locations are repeatedly targeted for crimes.

Smart Policing

An approach utilizing data, analytics, and research partnerships to enhance policing strategies.

Decentralization in Policing

A basic principle of community policing that encourages initiative from all officers by reducing hierarchical control.

Forensic Science

The broader term encompassing the use of science to answer legal questions, involving various fields such as pathology, toxicology, and criminalistics.

Criminalistics

A branch of forensic science focused on the study of physical evidence related to crime.

Corpus Delicti

Evidence showing that a crime was committed.

Modus Operandi

The method of operation indicating how a crime was committed.

Locard's Exchange Principle

When a person comes into contact with an object or another person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs.

Dactylography

The study of fingerprints for identification purposes.

Polygraph

A device used in investigations to determine truth or deception by measuring physiological responses.

Anthropometry

A system of identifying individuals based on physical measurements, developed by Alphonse Bertillon.

Cold Cases

Unsolved criminal investigations that remain open pending the discovery of new evidence.

Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)

A database managed by the FBI that stores DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scenes, and missing persons.

Medical Examiner

A physician who performs autopsies to determine the cause and manner of death.

Crime Scene

The location where a crime has occurred and where evidence may be found.

Psycholinguistics

The study of language used in criminal messages to understand the background and psychology of the sender.

Detective

A police officer who investigates crimes and gathers evidence.

Behavioral Science

The study of human behavior and its application in criminal investigations, particularly through profiling.

Informants

Individuals who provide information about criminal activity, often with motives such as reduced charges or monetary benefits.

DNA Profiling

A technique used to identify individuals based on their unique DNA characteristics.

Firearms Identification

The study and comparison of bullets and firearms to determine their origin.

Forensic Entomology

The use of insect life cycles to estimate the time of death in forensic investigations.

Evidence Preservation

The process of protecting and maintaining evidence to ensure its integrity during investigations.

Undercover Work

The assignment of police officers to investigate criminal activities while adopting fictitious civilian identities.

Pathology

A branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes and effects of diseases, essential in forensic investigations for determining causes of death.

Toxicology

The study of poisons and their effects on the body, critical in forensic science to analyze substances involved in crimes.

Ballistics

The study of the dynamics of projectiles, particularly in firearms, important in forensic investigations to analyze gun-related evidence.

Forensic Accounting

The use of accounting skills in investigations to detect fraud and financial crimes.

Forensic Psychology

The intersection of psychology and the justice system, focusing on understanding criminal behavior and providing assessments for legal proceedings.

Trace Evidence

Small quantities of materials that could be transferred during the commission of a crime, such as hair, fibers, and paint.

Victimology

The study of victims and the patterns of how they are victimized, contributing to understanding crime and prevention.

Digital Forensics

The process of recovering and investigating material found in digital devices, crucial for modern crime investigations.

Forensic Odontology

The study of dental records and bite marks to identify victims and suspects in forensic science.

Forensic Nautical Science

The examination of maritime evidence related to incidents at sea, aiding in investigations involving naval crime or disasters.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution that protect citizens from government powers.