HOW DO WE REDUCE CRIME AND PRESERVE HUMAN DECENCY?
OverView- Nov 2017. .Copyright BNVirgo's Williams Publishing House (RBAgency) (Standard Copyright License) Publisher Williams PublishingAgency/Firm
THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN POLICING FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
Written by R.A. Blake M.A.C.J Written and edited Nov 2017. Published August 2022 Policing in the United States has been and still is under extensive criticism today, not much as change RACIAL PROFILING. Tuch and Weitzer (1996) found that police brutality leads to a lesson of trust and support, both on the local and national front. Unfortunately though there may be much research on policing and ethnic minorities, the majority of them present the police in a negative light. Even after the ceasing of Jim Crow laws and the implementation of the fair housing act of 1969; black Americans still have a negative perception of the police. History has given and shown reasons for their resistance and animosity towards the police department, past research showed that 22% of Black Americans’ had very little, to no confidence in the police department. Another ethnic minority has seen racial stereotyping, and profiling is Latino; only 9 % had any faith and trust in the police organization. In contrast to only 8% white Americans.
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What is causing the divide in reported statistics and what can be done to improve the relationship and perception of the American police force, to the American public.
Criminological/Criminal Justice and Social Science [Scientist] Society Initiative @CaSS Society
Benjamin’s (2000) paper intends to highlight some of the divisions, the causes and how to rectify the problems. History Benjamin’s (2000) paper intended to highlight some of the divisions, the causes [ed] and possible ways to rectify the problems facing policing at that time. The article stated that the then new crime prevention and crime fighting strategies implemented, were done by police administrators who apparently understood the pressure and scrutiny their organization was under at the time and still to current 2017. It is noted in the ‘In the Standards Relating to the Urban Police Function (1973)’ article, that many were appalled by the behavior, and it did provide some insight into the police’s role in society. Many educators and public alike were in awe of traditional policing practices, and these were being questioned. When the questioning and criticism became too much, it was then managers and police administrators had to begin paying attention and researching ways to answer their critics.
This was over 30 years ago, and you read this above paragraph and applied it to the last 2 3 years leading up to 2017. A few such research that was developed in an attempt to assist with the public image redo, these e orts were: e Newark Foot Patrol Experiment and Newport News Problem Oriented Policing (1980’s). These studies alongside the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment (1974) , all came to the conclusion that police patrol does not deter crime, backed by another research, the Kansas City Response Time Experiment of 1976. These experiments and theories were said to REINFORCE CRIME PREVENTION AND POLICING ACROSS MAJOR CITIES AND SMALL TOWNS. More research on policing practices, management and training can and has been conducted due to more financial backing in that sector from public and private investors. Research and training funds available from government agencies, public and private organizations. Past studies have found that the reform period were said to begin from the 1930’s to the 1970’s, but policing saw a rebirth in the late 1970’s into modern times; and the became militarized in the early 2000’s. So if policing is e ective as many would have us believe, why do we then need to give it a ‘face lift’ every couple of decades?
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Copyright R A BLAKE [M A C J] Williams Publishing House (Standard Copyright License) Publisher Criminological/Criminal Justice and Social Science [Scientist] Society Initiative @CaSS Society
II. Houston, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta saw a Black Americans in higher ranking positions.
III. 17.4 % of Miami’s police force was black. These changes were caused by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. Women Rise through the Ranks I. Women's movement had an enormous push thanks to the Civil Rights movement and the introduction of the ACT. The Civil rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on gender, sex, race, ethnicity, disability, etc.
Racial Diversity of Police Departments Increases I. Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta saw a raise in Black Americans joining their forces.
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Below are a few ways and methods the Criminal Justice System has attempted to rectify the police image to the public, through media amplification and the implementations of some of these doctrines, torts, guidelines and laws.
III. They now work the same ‘beat’ as the men, ironically they have preceded the men to higher ranking positions. The author gave examples of his former student, one now an assistant chief in the Bronx.
IV. E.g. A 1970's NYC program reduced police o cer's gun discharge rate by 30%, reducing the amount of innocent people, especially blacks' killed by trigger happy activists. V. This program was implemented in other police forces up and down the country, reducing their civilian kill rates by 50%. Copyright R A BLAKE [M A C J] Williams Publishing House (Standard Copyright License)
II. This law has impacted major police forces around the country, as women now represent 13% of the American police o cers.
II. A combination of field training and academy training has been implemented in many US states since the 1990's. This provides hands on experience for the new recruits.
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III. New Policies and Innovative practices have been employed by administrators to minimize the barrage of lawsuits that they were facing, due to police brutality.
Training Improvements?
Criminological/Criminal Justice and Social Science [Scientist] Society Initiative @CaSS Society
I. Modern day training now consists of a minimum of 1000 hours of training, compared to the 1960's, when it was just 300 hours.
I. Low salaries and poor benefits, arbitrary disciplinary practices by police chief's; criticism by the Civil Rights Movement, amongst many other factors weighed heavily on police o cers working in the 1970’s. They created unions to help combat all the legal and societal backlash they had been receiving.
Overcoming Institutional Resistance to Change
II. The unions allowed for the implementation of grievance procedures, as to protect the rights of o cers during disciplinary proceedings. Stabilize and increase salary and benefits.
III. These unions too were subjected to the citizen's review process, much to their dismay.
I. It was pointed out that Civil rights activists at the time had a great appreciation for the citizen review practices of police o cers.
E. Citizen Review
II. The author stated he was instrumental in assisting with the implementation of numerous methods. These initiatives have benefited police o cers through the years, from the 1970's to now in 2000's where every police station has a citizen review board
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IV. The cover up and favoritisms that were and are still present in police departments, because they did not want to investigate the complaints filed against the o cers, and discipline them accordingly.
III. These boards were introduced, even though there was opposition, due to the increased systemic police brutality against minority citizens.
A CRITICAL INNOVATION: THE RISE OF COMMUNITY POLICING
I. Enter Community Policing in the 1980’s. Police o cers were now trained and told to work more closely with citizens in their neighborhoods, together developing strategies and programs for the benefits of their community.
II. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ENACTED by THEN President Clinton; saw the introduction of COPS O ce of Community Oriented Policing Services III. COPS had four guidelines: 1. interaction with communities by police o cers so as to foster a bond. 2. Innovation in policing should be encouraged; 3. Increase police o cers ‘walking the beat’ or now in the 2000’s ‘driving the beat’’; and 6 Copyright R A BLAKE [M A C J] Williams Publishing House (Standard Copyright License) Publisher
Criminological/Criminal Justice and Social Science [Scientist] Society Initiative @CaSS Society
Criminological/Criminal Justice and Social Science [Scientist] Society Initiative @CaSS Society
V. Madison, Wisconsin police chief was said to place the firm emphasis on leadership and training to create organizational change for the sake of his department.
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IV. 4. Enhancements in technology to advance criminal activities. E.g. the creation of DHS has seen an increase in collection of data on criminal individuals and enterprise; i.e. Wire and email taps without the need for a court order.
VII. George Kelling "a quiet revolution is reshaping American policing" was taking place all thanks to the community policing initiatives sweeping the nation. R A BLAKE [M A C J] Williams Publishing House (Standard Copyright License)
VI. Police departments up and down the country such as San Diego in 1989 and Oregon who followed suit; adopted the community oriented policing approach, as it enhances public safety in their communities.
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Conclusion. To conclude here are a few LESSONS FROM THE PAST , that may/CAN HELP US SURVIVE THE FUTURE. I. Crime declined by 16% nationwide from 1995, that has declined even further in 2015 [yet prison incarceration rates have increased, that is a di erent topic].
II. Results released in 2000 found that crime had fallen 7.8% across the US seven major cities, NYC for example is now ranked 165th out of 217th, even though it is the largest city in America.
III. In 2017, 6,630 index crimes were committed in the city, with major crimes dropping 9.7% by 709 crimes, compared to 7,339 index crimes in february 2016.
IV. Recommendations on how to help improve the police image were given: A. Frequent reviews and audits of CAD (911 dispatch services) and crime reports. V. B. Surveys of police NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED REGULARLY, as to get a vast understanding of the pressures and Morales behind the job. Finally, Seek the public opinion using surveys and oral interviews, especially persons from lower socio economic backgrounds and individuals belonging to the ‘minority population’.