AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCES (FROM CRIME AND JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA, 1977, BY DAVID BILES - SEE NCJ-50969)

• NCJ Number: 50972
• Author(s): B SWANTON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology; Sun Books Pty Ltd
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THE MAJOR FEATURES OF POLICING IN AUSTRALIA ARE REVIEWED, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF STATE AND TERRITORY POLICE FORCES.

Abstract

DISCUSSION TOUCHES ON THE OBJECTIVES AND ROLES OF POLICE IN AUSTRALIA, THE POWERS OF CHIEF POLICE OFFICERS, THE ORGANIZATION OF POLICE FORCES, RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION, POLICE FUNCTIONS, POLICE UNIONS AND LABOR RELATIONS, AND POLICE DISCRETION. THE OBJECTIVES AND ROLES OF POLICE IN AUSTRALIA HAVE BEEN ARRIVED AT AS MUCH BY AN AD HOC PROCESS AS BY THE APPLICATION OF RATIONAL THOUGHT AND PLANNING. MOST STATE AND TERRITORY POLICE EMPHASIZE THE LEGALISTIC STYLE OF POLICING, ALTHOUGH PROPONENTS OF THE IDEA OF POLICE WORK AS A PUBLIC SERVICE ARE TO BE FOUND. EACH OF AUSTRALIA'S SIX STATES AND TWO TERRITORIES HAS ITS OWN FORCE, CREATED AND REGULATED BY STATUTES. ORGANIZATION VARIES FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. NATIONWIDE, CONSTABLES (RANK-AND-FILE POLICE) COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 71 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONNEL, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS (SERGEANTS AND SENIOR CONSTABLES) 25 PERCENT, AND COMMISSIONED OFFICERS THE REMAINDER. MEMBERS OF THE POLICE SERVICE ARE REPRESENTED BY A VARIETY OF ASSOCIATIONS AND UNIONS. PERSONNEL SELECTION IS ONE AREA OF AUSTRALIAN POLICE ADMINISTRATION IN NEED OF REFORM. MORE RATIONALLY BASED ENTRY STANDARDS ARE NEEDED. POLICE DUTIES INCLUDE THOSE RELATED TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, PATROL, AND TRAFFIC. AUSTRALIAN POLICE HAVE THREE MAJOR COURSES OF ACTION--CAUTION, SUMMONS, OR ARREST--OPEN TO THEM IN DEALING WITH ADULT OFFENDERS. THE GUIDELINES AVAILABLE TO AUSTRALIAN POLICE IN DECIDING WHETHER TO ISSUE A CAUTION OR A SUMMONS TEND TO BE UNCLEAR AND AT TIMES CONFLICTING. JURISDICTIONS DIFFER IN POSTARREST PROCEDURES, PARTICULARLY IN THE DISPATCH WITH WHICH ARRESTED PERSONS MUST BE BROUGHT BEFORE A COURT. THERE IS A NEED FOR BAIL LAW REFORMS TO ELIMINATE UNREASONABLY LONG STAYS IN JAIL WITHOUT ACCESS TO BAIL. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF POLICE DISCRETION IS EMPHASIZED, AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE AVAILABLE TO THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC DEPENDS ABOVE ALL ELSE ON THE INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM WITH WHICH THAT DISCRETION IS EXERCISED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)