Rationalizing the Police: The Changing Environment of Citizen Encounters

• NCJ Number: 121573
• Author(s): L W Sherman
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 72 pages
• Grant Number(s): 86-IJ-CX-0024
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Crime Control Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research (Theoretical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This constitutes Appendix B to Report on Prospects for Future Research on Policing, see NCJ-121572.

Annotation

Police conduct in citizen encounters is becoming more rational; however, as in all human service industries, the rationality in the policing environment is ultimately limited by the basic human need for control.

Abstract

Changes in the environment surrounding these encounters make police oriented toward accomplishing organizational goals, using tested theories of the cause and effect relationships related to those goals. The most significant change, and greatest source of increased rationality in police conduct, is the federally-funded police research and development sector. The "soft" academic research will guide the adaptation of new "hard" communications and data processing technologies. Other important changes include the increasing dominance of the political environment by special interest groups and the legal restrictions placed on police discretion. Less important changes relate to the demographic characteristics of police personnel and the citizens they serve. (Author abstract modified)