NCJ Number
175357
Editor(s)
J Kleinig
Date Published
1996
Length
220 pages
Annotation
This collection of essays by 15 specialists in ethics and criminal justice examines the nature of police discretion and its many varieties.
Abstract
The essays in this volume discuss police, discretion and professions; the nature of police discretion; whether police discretion is justified in a free society; police objectivity; police discretion, racial generalizations and discrimination; police, prosecutors and discretion in investigation; and structuring police discretion. They explore the kinds of judgment calls police officers frequently must make concerning when they should get involved; whom they should watch; what constitutes a disturbance of the peace; what resources should be devoted to a situation; when, if ever, social welfare takes precedence over law enforcement; and under what conditions, if any, police officers may engage in selective enforcement of the law. Each essay or pair of essays is followed by a response, making the book useful for stimulating classroom discussions. Notes, table, indexes