NCJ Number
60522
Journal
Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: 159-171
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE THEORY THAT POLICE EXERCISE OF DISCRETION REGARDING TRAFFIC LAW VIOLATIONS IS A FUNCTION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL NORMS AND POLICE CONCERNS WITH AUTONOMY IS EXPLORED.
Abstract
ACCORDING TO THE EXISTING LITERATURE ON POLICE EXERCISE OF DISCRETION, POLICE OFFICERS ROUTINELY VIOLATE NORMS EMPHASIZING THE CONSISTENT OR EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF CITIZENS. THE BULK OF THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS THAT FACTORS SUCH AS DEMEANOR, SOCIAL CLASS, SEX, AGE, AND RACE ROUTINELY INFLUENCE THE DECISIONS MADE BY PATROL OFFICERS. TO EXPAND ON THESE FINDINGS, THIS STUDY EXAMINED TRAFFIC LAW VIOLATIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MOST FREQUENT REASON FOR CONTACT BETWEEN PATROL OFFICERS AND CITIZENS. DATA WERE COLLECTED DURING A 15-MONTH PERIOD UNDER A PARTICIPANT-AS-OBSERVER STUDY OF POLICE-CITIZEN ENCOUNTERS, CONDUCTED IN A MIDWESTERN CITY OF MORE THAN 500,000. SEVEN TRAINED OBSERVERS TRAVELED WITH THE POLICE USING PORTABLE CODING EQUIPMENT AND AN INTERACTION PROCESS CODE. INTERACTION BETWEEN POLICE AND CITIZENS WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND SEQUENTIALLY CONTENT ANALYZED AND CODED. ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT IF AN OFFICER IS CONSTRAINED TO ACT ACCORDING TO ORGANIZATIONAL NORMS, SUCH AS CITATION QUOTA FULFILLMENT, THE EXERCISE OF DISCRETION RESULTS IN A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF CITATIONS FOR MINORITY, LOWER CLASS, AND DISRESPECTFUL CITIZENS (VIOLATORS WHO VERBALLY RESIST THE CITATION). IF, HOWEVER, OFFICERS ARE MOMENTARILY FREE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS, THEY WILL RESPOND BY DISPLAYING THEIR CONCERNS WITH AUTONOMY. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)