Review questions/terms for the quiz on the police in our society
Questions:
1. Why is defining the exact role and responsibilities of police in our society so complex?
2. What factors have contributed to the development of the role of police in our society?
3. What are some of the major current responsibilities of the police in our society?
4. What are some of the positive functions of the use of police discretionary power?
5. What is meant by the myth of full enforcement by the police?
6. What is meant by the myth of the police as crime fighters?
7. Why are street crimes more heavily enforced than white-collar crimes?
8. Why is it odd or at least unnerving that the police on patrol often serve as “street level bureaucrats?”
9. What are some of the discretionary decisions that police regularly make in the course of their work?
10. What are some of the discretionary decisions that others in the criminal justice system routinely make? Prosecutors/Judges
11. The question about whether or not a police officer should use discretion can be looked at in 2 ways, judgmental and contextual. What is the difference?
12. There were 2 models analyzing the use of police discretionary power created by Packer in 1968, the due process model and the crime control model. How do they differ? Who benefits from each?
13. According to Goyot, there are 6 qualities that police officers should possess so that they can apply discretion appropriately. What are they?
14. What are some of the results of the improper usage/application of police discretionary power?
15. What are some of the controls that exist on police discretionary power?
Terms:
16. Police Discretionary Power
17. Criminal Justice System
18. Illegitimate opportunity structures
19. Street Crimes
20. White Collar Crimes
21. Street level bureaucrats
22. Legislative mandate
23. ad hoc
24. Prosecutor
25. Plea Bargain
· The answer to all of these questions and terms can be found in 4 places. Each has been given to you previously. All but one are on the webpage
- Police discretionary power handout (NOT ON WEBPAGE)
- police responsibilities.doc
- Soc332_Lecture12_TheDiscresionaryPowerofthePolice.pdf
- Deviance and the Criminal Justice System.ppt