Public Policing and Private Security - Key Terms

Tythings (Tithings)

In medieval England, a collective group of 10 families that pledged to help one another and provide mutual aid

Hue and Cry

In medieval England, a call for mutual aid against trouble or danger

Hundred

In medieval England. a group of 100 families responsible for maintaining order and trying minor offenses

Shire Reeve

In early England, the chief law enforcement official in a county, forerunner of today’s sheriff

Sheriff

The chief law enforcement officer in a county

Watch System

In medieval England, groups of men who organized in a church parishes to guard at night against disturbances and breaches of the peace under the direction of the local constable

Constable

In early English towns, an appointed peacekeeper ho organized citizens for protection and supervised the night watch

Justice of the Peace

Official appointed to act as the judicial officer in a county

Metropolitan Police Act

Sir Robert Peel’s legislation that established the first police force in London

Vigilantes

In the Old West, members of a vigilance committee or posse called upon to capture cattle thieves or other felons

Wickersham Commission

Formally known as the National commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, a commission created in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover to study the U.S. criminal justice system, including the police

Community Policing

A law enforcement program that seeks to integrate officers into the local community to reduce crime and gain good community relations. It typically involves personalized service and decentralized policing, citizen empowerment, and an effort to reduce community fear of crime, disorder, and decay

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The arm of the Justice Department that investigates violations of federal law, gathers crime statistics, runs a comprehensive crime laboratory, and helps train local law enforcement officers

Private Policing

Crime prevention, detection, and the apprehension of criminals carried out by private organizations or individuals for commercial purposes

Data Mining

Using sophisticated computer software to conduct analysis of behavior patterns in an effort to identify crime patterns and link them to suspects

Thermal Imagers

A device that detects radiation in the infrared range og the electromagnetic spectrum, used in law enforcement to detect variations in temperature (warm images stand out in cool backgrounds)

Biometrics

Automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic

DNA Profiling

The identification of criminal suspects by matching DNA samples taken from their person with specimens found at the crime scene

Predictive Policing

Application of advanced analytics to criminal justice data for the purpose of predicting where and when crime will occur