POLICE THEORY - NEW PERSPECTIVES (FROM CRIMINOLOGY IN PERSPECTIVE - ESSAYS IN HONOR OF ISRAEL DRAPKIN, 1977 BY SIMHA F LANDAU AND LESLIE SEBBA - SEE NCJ-45543)

• NCJ Number: 45554
• Author(s): B COHEN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THEORETICAL CONCEPTS DEALING WITH LARGE POLICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF UNDERLYING SOCIAL MECHANISMS.

Abstract

AN OVERIVEW OF THE BUREAUCRATIC AND LEGAL ELEMENTS THAT SHAPE THE POLICE ORGANIZATION IS PRESENTED, PRODUCING STRUCTURES WHICH INVARIABLY CONFLICT WITH THE BASIC JOB DEMANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS SERVING IN THE FIELD. POLICE DEPARTMENTS EXHIBIT THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF BUREAUCRACY, INCLUDING DIVISION OF LABOR, SPECIALIZATION, A HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY, AN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, COMPENSATION RELATED TO ONE'S POSITION, CONTINUITY OF OPERATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AND USE OF CONTRACTS OR AGREEMENTS WHICH SPECIFY IN ADVANCE A PERSON'S OBLIGATIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE AUTHOR FEELS THAT THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY, WHEN PROPERLY STRUCTURED AND ORGANIZED, CAN BE THE MECHANISM FOR CHANNELING AND IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVES EMANATING FROM THE LEGAL ORDER. ACCORDING TO THE AUTHOR, THE LEGAL SYSTEM, OPERATING THROUGH RATHER THAN IN OPPOSITION TO THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY, PRODUCES CERTAIN PRESSURES THAT EXERT CONTROL OVER THE POLICE ORGANIZATION, THUS ASSURING THE PUBLIC THAT POLICE OFFICERS WILL STRIVE TO CARRY OUT OFFICIAL DUTIES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE LAW. THE TENSION IN LARGE POLICE DEPARTMENTS MAY RESULT FROM A CLASH BETWEEN THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM ON THE ONE HAND AND THE POLICE SUBCULTURE ON THE OTHER. THE AUTHOR DEVELOPS THE CONCEPT OF THE POLICE SUBCULTURE WITHIN THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF POLICE OFFICERS TO USE VIOLENT FORCE ON A CITIZEN POPULATION. THE SECOND MOST SIGNIFICANT THEORETICAL PROBLEM IN POLICE ORGANIZATION INVOLVES POLICE DISCRETION. BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL DISCRETION ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE POLICE SUBCULTURE AND THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY. SEVERAL ADDITIONAL FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATION AND PERSISTENCE OF THE POLICE SUBCULTURE INCLUDE FEAR OF DANGER, UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT, ISOLATION, SECRECY, AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM. MORE MUST BE LEARNED ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF LEGITIMATE VIOLENT FORCE, PARTICULARY ITS INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND CONTROL, IN ORDER THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF VIOLENT FORCE SHOULD NOT BE PERCEIVED AS THE EXCLUSIVE AND PERSONAL RIGHT OF ITS IMPLEMENTORS BUT RATHER AS A NECESSARY, ALBEIT UNDESIRABLE, EXPRESSION OF A FREE SOCIETY'S OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN THE RULE OF LAW. (DAS)