NCJ Number
128364
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1990) Pages: 118-124
Date Published
1990
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The merits of three distinct models of democratic police systems are examined: the United States as an example of fragmented systems; France as an illustration of centralized systems; and Great Britain as a model of integrated systems of policing.
Abstract
The focal concern within the criminal justice systems of democratic nations is determining how to balance crime control against freedom and justice. The fragmented model of policing, dominated by autonomous local governments, is extremely democratic but also inefficient and with a high potential for corruption. Many democratic nations find this model unacceptable as it sacrifices crime control for excess consideration of civil liberties. The national government dominates the centralized model of policing, which is more orderly and efficient but felt to be less democratic. Many democratic nations regard this model as unacceptable because it is felt to give too little consideration to civil liberties in order to provide more effective crime control. The integrated model of policing is viewed as a compromise by a number of police scholars. It is more efficient than the fragmented model and more democratic than the centralized model, and it has less potential than the other two models for police abuse and systemic corruption. 21 references (Author abstract modified)