NCJ Number
7254
Date Published
1967
Length
495 pages
Annotation
DECISIONS INVOLVING POLICE DISCRETION ARE EXPLAINED AS THE RESULT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SOCIAL CONTROL - MORALITY, CUSTOM, AND LAW.
Abstract
THE POLICE EXERCISE A LARGE AMOUNT OF EXTRA-LEGAL SOCIAL CONTROL BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH MANY SITUATIONS WHICH ARE VIOLATIONS OF CUSTOM OR MORALITY BUT NOT OF LAW. THE POLICE ARE LARGELY CONTROLLED BY INTERACTIVE INSTITUTIONS ESTABLISHED WITH SEGMENTS OF THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN BY ANY FORMALLY GRANTED LEGAL MANDATE. LAWS REQUIRE LESS THAN CUSTOM IN MOST CASES, AND THE POLICE MANDATE IS NO EXCEPTION. THE POLICE ARE CONFRONTED WITH VIOLATIONS OF CUSTOMS TO WHICH THEY THEMSELVES ADHERE AND, WHETHER OR NOT THE VIOLATION IS ONE OF LAW, THEIR RESPONSE IS CONDITIONED BY THEIR INTERPERSONAL COMMITMENTS. THEIR DISPOSITIONAL DECISIONS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MORAL, CUSTOMARY, AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE BEHAVIOR, AS THEY INTERPRET THEM, AND THE RESULT IS A FORM OF SOCIAL CONTROL WHICH IS TANGENTIALLY AND SPORADICALLY RELATED TO LAW. THE DECISION PROCESS IS ANALYZED IN DETAIL, CONSIDERING THE SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF POLICEMEN AS IT AFFECTS THEIR BEHAVIOR, THE ENTRANCE OF POLICE INTO INTERACTIVE SITUATIONS, CONTROL STRATEGIES, AND LEGAL AND INFORMAL SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (BIBLIOGRAPHY)