Police Use of Discretion: A Comparison of Community, System, and Officer Expectations

• NCJ Number: 107935
• Author(s): H H Nees
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 206 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: University of Colorado - doctoral dissertation.

Annotation

This descriptive, exploratory study of police discretion examined the perceived appropriate response to a variety of petty offenses depicted in vignettes among police officers of varying ranks in 8 Boulder County, Colo., police agencies; 11 probation officers; 21 prosecuting and 52 defense attorneys; 16 judges; and 1,183 citizens.

Abstract

Respondents were asked to specify the appropriate reaction for each offense from among options ranging from take no action to arrest (jail). In most cases, differences among groups and within groups were minor; the differences were largely among the options of (1) take no action, warn, or refer to social services or (2) between issue a summons and arrest. In no case did one significant portion of any group surveyed choose the option of take no action while another chose the option of summons or jail. In general, police responses reflected the desires of citizens in their communities. Court personnel were more likely to differ from police, being more lenient in some cases and more punitive in others. Survey instruments and additional data are appended. Tables, chapter notes, approximately 150 references.