NCJ Number
66038
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY PRESENTS A BRIEF PROPOSAL FOR THE USE OF THE GENERAL SYSTEM THEORY AND ONE OF ITS ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGIES, ROLE THEORY, AS A MEANS OF ENRICHING THE STRUCTURAL-LEGAL ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY.
Abstract
AN INVESTIGATION OF A GENERAL SYSTEMS APPROACH IS USED HERE AS A BASIS FOR ANALYZING HOW CRIMINAL JUSTICE (IN THIS CASE, LAW ENFORCEMENT) POLICIES ARE GENERATED. THE GENERAL SYSTEMS APPROACH HAS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES, IN PARTICULAR THAT OF PROVIDING A REFINEMENT OF THE BASIC INPUT-THROUGHPUT-OUTPUT MODEL TO EXPLAIN THE WORKINGS OF INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES, SUCH AS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN ITS SIMPLEST TERMS, THE INPUT IS REPRESENTED BY ENERGY IN THE FORM OF PEOPLE, MATERIAL, INFORMATION, AND MONEY. THE THROUGHPUT IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE ENERGY INPUT IS TRANSFORMED INTO A USABLE PRODUCT, OR OUTPUT, WHICH IN THIS CASE, IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE, OR LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICIES. THIS STUDY EMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY RESEARCH IS OFTEN STRUCTURALLY, LEGALLY, AND INSTITUTIONALLY ORIENTED, FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON CONSTITUTIONAL BASES, STATUTORY PROVISIONS, AND AGENCY-BASED RULES AND REGULATIONS AS THE BASIS ON WHICH CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MADE. THE MISSING ELEMENT HERE IS THE BEHAVIORAL DIMENSION. LAWS NEITHER MAKE NOR ENFORCE THEMSELVES, BUT ARE FORMULATED AND APPLIED BY HUMAN ACTORS. THE GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY, COMBINED WITH ROLE ANALYSIS, PROVIDES THE BEHAVIORAL CONTEXT FOR STRUCTURAL-LEGAL POLICY ISSUES AND GOES A WAY TOWARD OFFERING A STRATEGY FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY ANALYSIS. THE THEORETICAL PREMISES OF THIS STUDY ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH A HYPOTHETICAL POLICE PROBLEM. A POLICE OFFICER SHOOTS A JUVENILE LEAVING A STOLEN CAR USED AS THE GETAWAY VEHICLE IN AN ARMED ROBBERY. THE INCIDENT PRECIPITATES A REVIEW OF POLICE POLICY BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE REGARDING THE USE OF LETHAL FORCE. FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE APPENDED. (LGR)