Ethnicity and the Police By CJA344 The police department is leaving a bad impression in many minority communities, because of the corruption and brutality that comes from the police patrolling the areas. The police should leave a positive impression with the communities that they serve, this way the police will be able to ask the community for help when needed. There are a few people in the community that speak highly of the police because they have good experiences with the police and have positive opinions of the police and are more freely to cooperate with the police department. Lack of community support to the police force can lead to more crimes in the communities, as a result of the community the police can be less likely to work up to their full potential. “When crime rate goes up there is a further dip in the public perception of the police resulting in a greater antagonism towards the police on the part of the public “(1985).
| X POPX COP | (POP) and (COP). Domestic violence is pertaining to the community and the police working together to stop this from happing to people who are too afraid or proud to ask for help. | While police and area residents generally have a good relationship, lately residents have been complaining that officers aren’t doing enough to address the minor offenses that are affecting quality-of-life, as with loud parties, public intoxication, and illegal parking that blocks some residents’ driveways. | XPOPXCOP | (COP) and (POP). The community is not giving up on the police, they are just trying to get the police’s attention and show them that these problems are a concern of their community.
The high likelihood of detection by the police, and the deterrent effects of punishment have been seen as forms of crime prevention. But the traditional criminal justice agencies have prevention as a sort of side effect or unintended consequence of their main aim of detection and punishment. And they are, as we have seen in previous lectures, not that efficient. Specific measures aimed at preventing crime have always been around in an everyday sense. Families, schools and communities disapprove of crime and this acts as a form of 'informal social control' People lock their doors and windows against burglars, and perhaps avoid badly lit areas, or certain parts of town, with the intention of reducing the likelihood of victimisation.
Often time’s private police are hired for certain communities, especially minority neighborhoods because they feel that the public police do not know how to handle themselves in a minority community where they are not from because they do not understand the needs of those in the neighborhood (Clifford, 2004). Security professionals believe that traditional policing does not work for African American neighborhoods (Clifford, 2004). Law
Police are said to have a “we-they or us-them” worldview. This in-group, we (police) v. they (civilians). Solidarity is associated with the idea of police subculture, but in practice the more general term culture is commonly used to describe everything police share in common. Not many have an accurate understanding of what police officers go through while working in high stress and dangerous environments. Police officers are taken for granted and people rarely think of the personal, mental, and physical sacrifices that police make in order to protect our community.
Crime will always be committed as police are not always looking over people’s shoulders to ensure people will not break the law. With the help of citizens who see crime happening and reporting it helps the justice system ensure citizen’s safety. “The justice system does not respond to most crime because so much crime is not discovered or reported to the police. Law enforcement agencies learn about crime from the reports of victims or other citizens, from discovery by a police officer in the field, from informants, or from investigative and intelligence work. Once a law enforcement agency has established that a crime has been committed, a suspect must be identified and apprehended for the case to proceed through the system.
Essay – Police gratuities Police gratuities raise the question whether it is an unethical practice by police. There is growing public concern in the community when police are offered and accepting police gratuities. Also whether or not police should say ‘no’ to gratuities as it can lead to more serious unethical decisions made by police. Police gratuities is when a gift, remuneration, benefit, allowance, fee subsidy, consideration, free service or entertainment is given from a company, organisation or person to a serving police officer, as a way of attracting police to the company for their presence of safety and protection. Police gratuities can also be as a comfortable gesture to police while on policing duties, such as a cup of tea at a victim’s house.
Methods to prevent corruption will then be explored, such as more rigorous recruitment procedures and the reinforcement of the motivation to do what is right. Lastly, it will be explored why in fact it is so hard to reduce corruption in the police force and subsequently why it will never go away. Before it can be examined why police corruption occurs, it must first be defined, what police corruption means, as there are many widely accepted definitions. Punch as cited in Palmer (1992: 103) defines corruption as, “When an officer receives or is promised significant advantage or reward…for doing something that he is under a duty to do anyway, that he is under a duty not to do, for exercising legitimate discretion for improper reasons and for employing illegal means to achieve approved goals.” Barker and Wells as cited in Palmer (1992:104) offer a similar definition, “Police corruption is any prescribed act which involves the misuse of the officer’s official position for actual or expected material reward or gain.” (For a more detailed explanation of corruption, see Ivkovic 2003:595). As a part of their job, police are given a number of rights and powers, such as the ability to exercise discretion.
Peers Our peers can have a major influence on why we choose to obey the law. For example, a higher rank political figure such as a mayor may fear being ridicule by his peers knowing his status is constantly being observed by his peers. Often times when a teenager is arrested we often witness them crying or upset due to the reason that they realize their parents are going to be made aware of their actions; this reflects the influences that peers have on individuals. Sometimes an angry parent can be more scary then any holding cell. Obligations For man or women who work in the police force they feel a certain obligation to with the law.
This can sometimes lead to police brutality, and conflicts within police officers in each department. Suspicion just depends how you define it. A police officer that is overly suspicious can make many mistakes, as he has major trust issues. It can prevent him or her from making rational moves or decisions. This can also be ties into insecurity as well.