NCJ Number
211059
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: 2005 Pages: 279-300
Date Published
2005
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study examined how police officers in a college community used leniency and coercion to negotiate order in policing the consumption of alcohol by college-aged youth.
Abstract
Research shows that within college communities alcohol-related offenses can represent a significant demand on police resources, and in contrast to urban areas, smaller communities may be able to devote greater resources to policing such crimes. This study considered how a midwestern police agency policed alcohol consumption, particularly by the community’s sizable student and young adult populations. It examined how officers used coercion and leniency to negotiate order within the context of offenses directly and indirectly related with the consumption of alcohol. Data were obtained through a series of interviews and fieldwork conducted in the Prarietown Police Department and included general patrol officers, patrol supervisors, and members of the Alcohol Enforcement Unit (AEU). Results of the study indicate that officers employ leniency in variable patterns, primarily based on duty assignment. However, citizen demeanor was often key in shaping sanctioning outcomes in alcohol enforcement encounters. Research implications and limitations are presented and discussed. Notes, references, appendix