Criminal Justice
Conservatism:
the system prioritizes maintaining the status quo and resisting change.
those seeking societal change were criminalized
Race and Inequality
the US criminal justice system has perpetuated racial inequalities since its inception, rooted in slavery and segregation
black lives matter - racial inequality
Discretion
key players exercise significant discretion, influencing outcomes based on individual judgments
decisions reflect personal and systematic biases.
Criminology is an object study
Study of the criminal mind
Neutral law, unequal consequences
A law may not explicitly name a racial or ethnic group
Enforcement may nonetheless be concentrated in particular communities
The Nature of Policing 1
Perspectives on policing
Different viewpoints on police rules and responsibilities
Contrasting attitudes towards law enforcement
History of policing
Development of policing in the US and globally
Evolution of law enforcement
Modern policing
Organizational structure of US police forces
Duties and responsibilities
Police Deviance
Misuse of authority
Police misconduct and corruption
Public perception of police
Romanticized vs. hostile views of law enforcement
Pro police: Supporting of police.
Anti police: Against law enforcement
Police and government
They enforce laws
Police are an extension of government authority.
Political and social divides
Conservatives vs. leftists on policing
Influence of governmental trust on police perception
Democracy and policing
Democracy demands public accountability, police often resist transparency
Democracy promises equal treatment for all citizens, policing has long produced racial, class, and immigrant-based inequalities
Defining “policing”
Fichtelberg (2022) says, “policing denotes a complex set of activities” - rather vague
Policing: The maintenance of law and order by a police force.
What does this actually mean?
The maintenance of law is straightforward; legal authorities set forth rules and regulations, and those charged with policing aka police or law enforcement, ensure they are followed through the practice of policing.
The purpose of policing is to ensure the rules and desired behaviors set forth by a legal authority are followed by its population.
Distinctions in American policing
Police vs. Policing
Police as a noun: Law enforcement officers, uniformed professionals
Policing as a verb: Actions taken to regulate, control, and maintain order
Terminology and perception
Synonyms: Police, law enforcement officer, cop
Public perception vs. professional identity
Historical Evolution of the Term
Early 17th century def: Maintaining civil order, regulations
Late 17th early 18th: Shift toward law enforcement roles
Modern interpretation: Assigned tasks and responsibilities
Progressive: Societal decisions, citizens thinking upon the police and how they should work. Holding police accountable for what they think is wrong rather dealing with race, ethnicity, sex, etc
Conservative: The actual work the police are assigned to do and how they do it. How they maintain society and aim for public safety
Functions of policing
Controlling deviance
Crime prevention and enforcement
Lawbreaking intervention
Maintaining order
Crowd control, traffic regulation
Social unrest management
Providing public assistance
Emergency response
Community service and welfare
Policing as a broader social function
Beyonce law enforcement
schools - school discipline
cooperations - workplace monitoring, drug testing
Regulatory systems
immigration - ICE raids
welfare - fraud investigations
Administrative embeddedness
university - title IX enforcement, campus security
housing - public housing inspections
Evolving roles
surveillance - cctv in cities
cybersecurity - FBI internet
Private
retail - shoplifitng databases shared with police
tech firms - social media content
Passive policing
Reactive approach to law enforcement
Investigating crimes that have already occurred
Ex: criminal investigation after crime has been done
Active policing
Proactive law enforcement strategies
Preventing crimes before they happen
Ex: foot patrol, surveillance
Birth of modern policing
London Metropolitan Act (1829)
Established professional government-run police force
Peels nine points (some)
Police perform their duty depending on public manner, police must secure the willing to operation of the public in voluntary observation, basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder, degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force, police seek and preserve public favor, police use physical force to the extent if necessary
Policing in America
Peel act and British influence: Robert Peel, London Metropolitan Police, British policing model, public patrols, crime prevention
Geographical impact on policing: U.S. vs. England size comparison, low population density, rural policing
Racism and policing: Slavery’s impact on policing, slave patrols, racial control mechanisms, systemic oppression
Slave patrols and vigilante justice: Enslaved people control, slave catchers, deterrence of revolts, plantation justice, klu klux klan
Early informal policing
We created Sheriff offices, militia, vigilante committees, lynching against african americans
Cronyism and Patronage
In the early 19th century, the US policing was highly politicized and powerful people have often manipulated state and local citizens
Many states were tired of cronyism and politics (unfair practice of giving jobs to friends or supporters in regards to their qualifications.
Professionalism
More educational standards to become a police officer
Police as a profession
Scientific policing and forensics
Biometric criminal identification techniques
University influence on policing: Criminology programs, academic approach to poling, research in criminal justice
1960’s aftermath
Rise in crime and counter culture.
Distrust, questioning police, increase in crime rate mostly in urban areas.
This led to more of a distrusting government
Civil rights activism
70s, war on drugs,
Nixon’s “all-out war on drugs”
1973: Creation of drug enforcement administration
Crack cocaine epidemic 1980s
9/11 had an impact on law enforcement
Homeland security: things to know
