CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS (FROM ISSUES IN POLICE PATROL - A BOOK OF READINGS, 1973, BY T J SWEENEY AND W ELLINGSWORTH - SEE NCJ-25816)

• NCJ Number: 25821
• Author(s): J Q WILSON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Kansas City (MO) Police Dept; Police Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THE POLICEMAN'S USE OF DISCRETION IN SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS IS IN RESPONSE TO AND A TRADE-OFF BETWEEN THE DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEMANDS OF THE POLICE ORGANIZATION.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR QUESTIONS THE REMEDIAL SUGGESTIONS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION AND BEAUROCRATIZATION OF THE POLICE. THE FORMER, HE BELIEVES, WILL BE STRONGLY RESISTED AND THE LATTER LARGELY IGNORED. REVIEWING THE NATURE OF CONFLICT IN THE URBAN COMMUNITY, WILSON PRESENTS VIEWS ON THE FEASIBILITY OF ARTICULATING DETAILED ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES TO GOVERN THE EXERCISE OF DISCRETION. HE URGES THAT DEPARTMENTS REORGANIZE THEIR PRESENT STRUCTURES TO FACILITATE MORE EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING BY PATROLMEN AND THAT THEY ESTABLISH REWARD SYSTEMS CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDER MAINTENANCE WORK OF THE POLICE. THROUGHOUT HIS DISCOURSE, WILSON MAINTAINS THAT IT IS UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THE POLICE TO SIGNIFICANTLY PREVENT CRIME. EVEN WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, THE READER SHOULD NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM EVEN THE MOST IMAGINATIVE REDIRECTIONS OF POLICE EFFORTS, AS POLICE PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE THEY ARE INHERENT IN THE NATURE OF THE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION OF THE POLICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)