ROUTINE POLICE ARREST PRACTICES - A COMMONWEALTH PERSPECTIVE

• NCJ Number: 14377
• Author(s): R J LUNDMAN
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 31 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 MH17917-02
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH ROUTINE POLICE ARREST PRACTICES SUGGEST POLICE ABUSE OF THE SOCIETALLY DELEGATED PRIVILEGE TO EXERCISE NON-NEGOTIABLE COERCIVE FORCE.

Abstract

PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS ENCOUNTERS OCCURRING IN A LARGE MIDWESTERN CITY DURING A 15 MONTH PERIOD WERE ANALYZED BY A GROUP OF OBSERVERS TRAINED IN THE USE OF AN INTERACTION CODE. THESE SEVEN OBSERVERS TRAVELLED WITH POLICE ON A RANDOM TIME SAMPLE BASIS. IT WAS FOUND THAT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES OF ARREST WERE ASSOCIATED WITH OFFENSE CONSPICUOUSNESS, OFFENDER POWERLESSNESS, AND OFFENDER DISRESPECT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT POLICE DO ABUSE THIS SOCIETALLY DELEGATED PRIVILEGE. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS CONCLUSION FOR THE COMMONWEAL CONCEPTION OF THE POLICE ARE DISCUSSED AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)