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Law Enforcement: An Introduction

NCJ Number
225031
Author(s)
Richard N. Holden Ph.D.
Date Published
1992
Length
349 pages
Annotation
This textbook introduces students to the institution and occupation of law enforcement in order to provide a foundation of knowledge from which further study can be launched.
Abstract
The first chapter reviews the history of law enforcement from ancient societies through the development of the earliest of the modern police agencies, with attention to France and Great Britain. The second chapter addresses the contribution to American law enforcement by earlier societies, the development of policing in America’s colonial era, factors that led to the varied development of law enforcement throughout the United States, and concluding with a discussion of the development of the modern American police. Chapter 3 distinguishes the various levels of law enforcement in the United States and their various functions and responsibilities, followed by a discussion of the fragmented nature of law enforcement that has resulted. Chapter 4 focuses on the recruitment, selection, and training of police officers--describes the police selection process, explains the theory and application of Affirmative Action programs for police agencies, and assesses a person’s potential for becoming employed in a law enforcement position. Chapter 5 identifies the basic principles for organizing a law enforcement agency, describes the typical structure of a police organization, and considers the basic strengths and weaknesses in police organizational design. Chapter 6, entitled “Police Socialization,” focuses on the internal dynamics of police organizations; factors that shape the public image of police; and the complexities involved in police socialization, i.e., adoption of values, behaviors, and attitudes that are the norm for police subculture. The remaining six chapters address the nature of crime and police as crime-fighters, criminal investigation and the law, the court and its officers, criminal procedure, police deviance, and the role of higher education in the police profession. Chapter summaries, discussion questions, and notes/references