Police discretion Police discretion can be defined as actions undertaken by law enforcers in which they exercise their individual judgment in order to determine the best course of action (Gaines & Kappeler‚ 2003). Before deciding whether a certain action should be pursued against a suspect‚ the police take into account many factors‚ at least in theory. As Kleinig (1996) stresses‚ discretion also gives law enforcers “a permission‚ privilege‚ or prerogative to use judgment about how to make a practical
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Discretion refers to the authority granted to a police officer that allows him to decide how best to deal with a certain situation. This is aimed at increasing the flexibility of the justice system as punishment may not always be the appropriate mode of dealing with crimes. Discretion may empower a police officer to overlook a minor offense giving the offender a warning. Police discretion is a very important aspect in matters concerning criminal justice. There has been a constant dilemma between
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Police Ethics Police Discretion G Abstract: This paper is going to cover the unlawful behavior that led to harmful discretionary acts that had taken place in several different police departments; from the big cities of Los Angeles and Chicago to the small department of East Moline. This will cover‚ in detail‚ how these officers went down the wrong path to self-destruct their own departments. “Police discretion refers to the authority granted to a police
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The use of force by police in the discharge of their duties can both be reformed and controlled without compromising the capacity of the police to maintain public safety and enforce the law. Violence in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Violence is most typically an outgrowth of conflict when peaceful dispute mechanisms fail. The use of force by police frequently occurs in situations that are characterized by violence prior to the arrival of police. Crime‚ particularly violent crime
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Policing Essay Police discretion poses an interesting paradox in our democratic society. As Ramirez et al (2000) explains‚ we entrust the police to enforce the law‚ to maintain order‚ and to use legitimate force if necessary ’. Not only do we expect police to complete this rather demanding task‚ but we also expect them to accomplish these tasks by treating the public in a fair and even-handed way ’. Thus a major problem is the over policing ’ and stereotyping ’ of marginalized groups such
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In this paper‚ I will be writing about Police Discretion. I will start by defining Police Discretion then briefly discuss the use in domestic disturbances‚ minor misdemeanors‚ and traffic enforcement. I will also discuss the application of police discretion‚ the provisions it uses and how it is currently practiced. At the end of these brief descriptions‚ I will then present the myth that exists in regards to police discretion. And finally‚ I will end this paper with my personal opinion as well
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Police Discretion David Gonzalez University of Phoenix Introduction to Policing CJA/370 Professor John W. Feltgen June 23‚ 2005 Abstract In this paper I will discuss police discretion and the use of these discretionary powers in the law enforcement workplace. I will explore the mythical aspects of police discretionary powers and the source of this myth. I will further discuss the control of discretionary authority. I will name instances of law enforcement officials using their discretionary powers
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Discretion is defined as the authority to make a decision between two or more choices (Pollock‚ 2010). More specifically‚ it is defined as “the capacity to identify and to document criminal and noncriminal events” (Boivin &ump; Cordeau‚ 2011). Every police officer has a great deal of discretion concerning when to use their authority‚ power‚ persuasion‚ or force. Depending on how an officer sees their duty to society will determine an officer’s discretion. Discretion leads to selective enforcement
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Police Discretion Police Discretion Discretion is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “the ability to make responsible decisions‚ individual choice or judgment‚ power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds.” In law enforcement discretion is left up to each individual officer on the field everyday. Police officers are given the authority to make reasonable and responsible decisions out in the field. Discretion is used in many situations‚ such as when
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Police Discretion Jocelyn Golphin University of the District of Columbia Criminal Justice System 2/21/2014 Golphin 2 Police discretion is a very important approach in matters concerning criminal justice. There has been a consistent problem between enforcing the law and the spirit of the law. Discretion in the broader sense can be defined as the individual’s ability to make a decision basing on the principle of courses of the action. During training‚ police
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