NCJ Number
55226
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
DATA AND OBSERVATIONS FROM A STUDY OF BRITISH POLICE ARE EXAMINED IN AN ANALYSIS OF HOW ARRESTED PERSONS AND POLICE OFFICERS COME INTO CONTACT AND OF WHY OFFICERS MAKE ARRESTS IN SOME SITUATIONS BUT NOT IN OTHERS.
Abstract
ARREST DATA INDICATE THAT THE PUBLIC PLAYS A FAR MORE CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE POLICING PROCESS THAN HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN PORTRAYED, PARTICULARLY IN ENGLISH STUDIES. OF 1,558 ARRESTS BY PATROL OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, 49 PERCENT WERE CASES IN WHICH THE PUBLIC CLEARLY HAD PROVIDED THE POLICE WITH AN ARRESTEE, EITHER BY NAMING OR IMPLICATING A SUSPECT, CALLING IN A REPORT, OR DETAINING A SUSPECT. EVEN IN THE 37 PERCENT OF ARRESTS THAT WERE UNEQUIVOCALLY POLICE INITIATED, THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE BEEN MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN WAS EVIDENT FROM POLICE ARREST REPORTS. REGARDLESS OF HOW AN ARRESTED PERSON AND A POLICE OFFICER ARE BROUGHT INTO CONTACT, THERE REMAINS THE QUESTION OF HOW THE OFFICER DECIDES WHETHER TO MAKE AN ARREST IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING TRADITIONALLY UNDERENFORCED LAWS. OBSERVATIONS OF POLICE OPERATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE DECISION IS BASED ON THE OFFICER'S CONCERN WITH AVOIDING TROUBLE. AVOIDING WITHIN-THE-JOB TROUBLE MEANS MAKING CERTAIN ARRESTS AND NOT MAKING OTHERS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE EXPECTATIONS AND URGINGS OF SUPERIOR OFFICERS. AVOIDING ON-THE-JOB TROUBLE MEANS DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL BOTH IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, AND IN THE OFFICER'S GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF ASSIGNMENT GENERALLY. IN SOME INSTANCES MAINTAINING CONTROL REQUIRES AN ARREST; IN IN OTHERS, THE OFFICER'S PRESENCE WITH ITS IMPLIED THREAT OF ARREST IS ENOUGH. THE NEED FOR MORE DATA ON HOW POLICE USE THEIR DISCRETIONARY POWERS IS STRESSED. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)