POLICE BUREAUCRACY AND DECISION-MAKING - THE FUNCTION OF DISCRETION IN MAINTAINING THE POLICE SYSTEM (FROM POLICE 1974, BY J GOLDSMITH AND S S GOLDSMITH - SEE NCJ-14809) 1974, BY J GOLDSMITH AND S S GOLDSMITH - SEE NCJ-29343)

• NCJ Number: 29347
• Author(s): R V Ericson
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Palisades Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS THAT THE DYNAMICS OF POLICE DISCRETION CAN BEST BE UNDERSTOOD BY EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DECISION-MAKING AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL IMPERATIVES OF A LARGE BUREAUCRACY.

Abstract

ANALYZED IS HOW ACTS OF POLICE DISCRETION RELATE TO EACH OF FIVE ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. THESE INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONAL SECURITY IN RELATION TO SOCIAL FORCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT; STABILITY OF LINES OF AUTHORITY AND COMMUNICATION; STABILITY OF INFORMAL RELATIONS; CONTINUITY OF POLICY AND THE SOURCES OF ITS DETERMINATION; AND HOMOGENEITY OF OUTLOOK WITH RESPECT TO THE MEANING AND ROLE OF THE ORGANIZATION.