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CHANGING FACES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT (FROM INCARCERATION BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS, 1977, BY P ECK AND G ENGLISH SEE NCJ-56694)

NCJ Number
56704
Author(s)
A J BROWN
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
BROAD HISTORIC ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN AMERICAN SOCIETY ARE EXAMINED IN THEIR IMPACT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND FUTURE TRENDS IN POLICING ARE PREDICTED.
Abstract
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY WAS DOMINATED BY AN AGRARIAN, JUDEO-CHRISTIAN SOCIOECONOMIC ORDER UNTIL AS RECENTLY AS WORLD WAR II IN SOME SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY. EMPHASIS WAS UPON THE FAMILY AS THE NUCLEAR SOCIOECONOMIC UNIT, AND A HOMOGENEOUS MORALITY ROOTED IN COMMON RELIGIOUS PERCEPTIONS WAS THE BASIS FOR A UNIFORM AND CONFORMING LIFESTYLE. HARD WORK WAS AN IMPORTANT VIRTUE WHICH ESTABLISHED ONE'S WORTH, WITH MATERIAL ACQUISTION BEING THE FRUIT OF THAT WORK AND A TANGIBLE SIGN OF PERSONAL STATUS. VAGRANCY, GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, AND DRUNKENNESS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE SERIOUS CRIMES, AND PROPERTY CRIMES WERE PERCEIVED AS SERIOUS ATTACKS UPON THE REWARDS THAT FUELED THE WORK ETHIC AND DEFINED A FAMILY'S WORTH. THE PURPOSE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS VIEWED AS THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANT THAT POLICE WERE TO INITIATE PUNITIVE ACTION AGAINST ANY NOT CONFORMING TO THE DOMINANT AND REVERED BEHAVIORAL VALUES. THE ADVENT OF INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETY SAW THE MOVEMENT TO URBAN AREAS WHERE THE WORK UNIT BECAME THE COMPANY INSTEAD OF THE FAMILY. CHOICES FOR OCCUPATIONS MULTIPLIED, AND THE HOMOGENEOUS COMMUNITY AND FAMILY STRUCTURES WEAKENED ALONG WITH THE MORALITIES PERPETUATED BY THEM. IN TIME, THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH WAS NOT SO MUCH A REFLECTION OF HARD WORK BUT OF THE ART OF WIELDING POWER INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY. THE DEMANDS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAME FRAGMENTED. THERE HAS BEEN A DEEMPHASIS ON 'VICTIMLESS' CRIMES (PROSTITUTION, GAMBLING, PORNOGRAPHY, ETC.) AND EVEN ON PROPERTY CRIMES, AS AFFLUENCE HAS ENABLED THE ABSORPTION OF LOSS, WHILE CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON HAVE ASSUMED PRIORITY. POLICE WORK ITSELF HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT, SUCH THAT MANAGEMENT STYLES AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ARE MEASURED AND PLANNED ACCORDING TO RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. IN THE EMERGING POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETY, WHICH EMPHASIZES INTELLECTUAL AND COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS MORE THAN PHYSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, IT IS EXPECTED THAT POLICE WILL BE INFLUENCED TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS MORE THROUGH ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATION THAN THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF AUTHORITATIVE POWER AND PHYSICAL FORCE. (RCB)

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