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FUTURE ROLE OF STATE POLICE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (FROM CRIME AND JUSTICE IN AMERICA - CRITICAL ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE, 1979, BY JOHN T O'BRIEN AND MARVIN MARCUS - SEE NCJ-62849)

NCJ Number
62851
Author(s)
W CONNELIE
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
EMERGING SPECIALIZED ROLES OF STATE POLICE AGENCIES ARE DISCUSSED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO OPERATIONS THAT AID AND SUPPLEMENT THE WORK OF COUNTY AND LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES.
Abstract
PRESENT TRENDS INDICATE THAT AS LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES GROW, AND PROVIDE MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES, THE FULL-SERVICE STATE POLICE AGENCIES WILL EXPERIENCE A DIMINISHING JURISDICTIONAL BASE. THIS CALLS FOR A REAPPRAISAL OF THE STATE AGENCY'S MISSION. MODERN LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVES AN INCREASING NUMBER OF SPECIALIZED OPERATIONS THAT CAN BEST BE PERFORMED BY A CENTRALIZED STATE AGENCY. FURTHER, THERE ARE CRIME PROBLEMS WHOSE SCOPE EXTENDS ACROSS LOCAL AND COUNTY JURISDICTIONS, SO THAT STATE SUPERVISION OF INVESTIGATIONS IS NEEDED. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS BEAR A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, OR TO THE STATE AS A WHOLE, SUCH THAT ALLOCATION BELOW THE STATE GOVERNMENT LEVEL WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT MIGHT BE ASSUMED BY STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INCLUDE (1) CRIME LABORATORIES, (2) INFORMATION EXCHANGE BETWEEN LOCAL AGENCIES, (3) ORGANIZED CRIME UNITS, (4) POLICE TRAINING, (5) PISTOL LICENSING AND REGISTRATION, (5) CIVIL DEFENSE AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, AND (6) CRIMINAL RECORDS. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE REGULATION OF PRIVATE POLICE SERVICES, SPECIALIZED ENFORCEMENT (HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATION, CIVIL DISTURBANCES, TERRORISM, ETC.), PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT FOR USE BY LOCAL AGENCIES, PROVISION OF CONTRACT SERVICES, RESEARCH INVESTIGATION OF WIDESPREAD 'WHITE COLLAR' CRIME, AND A SUPPORT FORCE FOR COUNTY AND LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)