Criminal Justice chapter 7

Discretion

Is the selective enforcement of the law through the application of experience, knowledge, training, and empathy.

What is it called when a police officer decides to let a speeding motorist off with a warning rather than a $350 fine?

Discretion

What changes are being done in the modern police force?

More women and minorities are becoming police officers

What does the term double marginality refer to?

The discrimination that is face by black officers, from their own communities and from within the department.

Select the police style where officers see themselves as the Thin-blue line. 

The crime fighter 

Crime factors

Takes in the severity of the crime

Victim factors

who are the victims of the crime

Peer factors

Influence of their fellow officers have on their actions

Why is police discretion called Low Visibility decision making?

Because the discretion that officers use on a daily basis is not reviewed by the administration or the judiciary, 

Prostitution case the older the officers drops them off at women shelters and the younger officer follows suit.

Peer factors

What is the overload hypothesis?

the theory that is an officer is overworked they will be more lenient when it comes to investigating petty crimes. 

What is the definition of racial profiling?

racial influence over police discretion.

What are some types of stresses?

External stresses, organizational stresses, duty stresses, and individual stresses.

Internal corruption

Occurs among police officers themselves within the department.

Active criminality

Occurs when police officers participate in serious crimes.

What are the main dangers faced by police officers identified in this episode? 

Fatigue, and job stresses

Stresses out by money and wanting to more up the ladder is called what? 

Organizational stresses 

Developed theories regarding why problem cops commit acts of officers brutality, What do they think is the root cause of this misconduct?

An overreaction to job stress

officer looks the other way for underage drinking for a bribe what is this called?

Grass eater

When it comes to use of force, which of the following statements are true?

Police officers rarely use deadly force when interacting with the public.

Police officers rarely use non deadly or less lethal force when interacting with the public

Based on a national survey of citizen responses, police officers are more likely to use force on citizens of color than they are on white citizens. 

Which of the following weapons are categorised under deadly force?

Firearms

Why do we allow officers to use deadly force Where does the precedence for police using deadly violence upon citizen come from? 

English common law 

Which pattern relating to officer involved shooting covers suicide by cop?

Exposure to violence

double Marginality definition

According to Nicholas Alex the social burden that african american police officers carry by being both minority group members and law enforcement officers.

Blue Curtain definition

The secretive, insulated police culture that isolates officers from the rest of society.

Cynicism definition

the belief that most peoples actions are motivated solely by personal needs and selfishness

Police styles definition

The working personalities adopted by police officers that can range from being a social worker in blue to being a hard charging crime fighter. 

Discretion definition

The use of personal decision making and choice in carrying out operations in the criminal justice system.

Low visibility decision making is defined as what?

Decision making by police officers that is not subject to administrative review.

What is the overload hypothesis?

The theory that police workload influences discretion so that as workload increases, less and attention can be devoted to new cases especially petty crimes. 

Demeanour definition

The way a person outwardly manifests his or her personality

Racial profiling definition

A term to describe racial influence over police discretion

Police brutality definition

Actions such as using abusive language, marketing threats, using force or coercion unnecessarily, prodding with night sticks, and stopping and searching people to harass the. 

Corruption definition 

Exercising legitimate discretion for improper reasons or using illegal means to achieve approved goals. 

Knapp commissions definition

A public body that conducted an investigation into police corruption.

Meat eater definition

term used to describe a police officers who actively solicits bribes and vigorously engages in corrupt practices. 

Grass eater definition

A term used to describe a police officers who accepts payoffs when everyday duties place him or her in a position to be solicited by the public.

Mollen Commission definition

Ab investigative unit set up to inquire into police corruption in New York City in the 1990s.

Accountability system definition

A system that makes police supervisors responsible for the behavior of the officers in their command. 

Deadly force definition

The intentional use of a firearm or other instrument, reulting in a high probability of death.

Non deadly force definition

Force that is unlikely to cause death or significant bodily harm

Excited Delirium definition

An overdose of adrenaline that can occur in heated confrontations with the police.

Impact munitions definition

Less lethal weapons that are used to stun or otherwise incapacitate uncooperative suspects so they can be subdued. 

Example - rubber bullets 

Taser definition 

a non lethal conducted energy device that administers a shock to an uncooperative suspect by way of an electrified dart. 

National Law enforcement officers memorial

The nation’s monument to police officers who have died in the line of duty.