The first development that has defined the recent restructuring of policing is the pluralizing of policing. Institutions other than the government now widely offer policing; these institutions include private companies and community volunteers. The second development is the quest by the public police of an appropriate role. The public police are going through an intense period of self-questioning that represents a true identity crisis. They are examining their objectives, strategies, organization, management, discipline, and accountability. The restructuring of policing is already well advanced and has profound implications for public life, especially the level and distribution of public safety, the vitality of civil rights and the character of democratic government. The government in the future is unlikely in the future to be able to respond effectively through traditional law enforcement programs. In addition, the ability of Western societies to respond to the demand for order by spontaneous crime prevention activities undertaken by communities is doubtful due to the value these societies place on individualism. Therefore, Western democratic societies will continue to resort to the marketplace for security solutions. Finally, outbreaks of collective violence are likely to produce a dualistic system of policing. However, modern democratic societies can provide humane policing equitably if they develop mechanisms such as block grants to enable poor people to take part in markets for security and if community policing becomes the paradigm of public policing. Notes and 27 references