Chapter 5 - Problems and Solutions in Modern Policing Flashcards
policy
a set of guiding principles designed to influence the behavior and decision making of police officers
domestic violence
the act of willful neglect or physical violence that occurs within a familial or other intimate relationship
mandatory arrest law
requires a police officer to detain a person for committing a certain type of crime as long as there is probable cause that he or she committed the crime
bureaucracy
a hierarchically structured administrative organization that carries out specific functions
delegation of authority
the principles of command on which most police departments are based, in which personnel take orders from and are responsible to those in positions of power directly above them
detective
the primary police investigator of crimes
Confidential Informant (CI)
a human source for police who provides information concerning illegal activity in which he or she is involved
domestic terrorism
acts of terrorism that take place within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. without direct foreign involvement
clearance rate
a comparison of the number of crimes cleared by arrest and prosecution with the number of crimes reported during any given time period
cold case
a criminal investigation that has not been solved after a certain amount of time
forensics
the application of science to establish facts and evidence during the investigation of crimes
trace evidence
evidence such as fingerprint, blood, or hair found in small amounts at a crime scene
ballistics
the study of firearms, including the firing of the weapon and the flight of the bullet
DNA fingerprinting
the identification of a person based on a sample of her or his DNA, the genetic material found in the cells of all living things
cold hit
the establishment of a connection between a suspect and a crime often through the use of DNA evidence, in the absence of an ongoing criminal investigation
incident-driven policing
a reactive approach to policing that emphasizes a speedy response to calls for service
random patrol
a patrol strategy that relies on police officers monitoring a certain area with the goal of detecting crimes in progress or preventing crime due to their presence. Also known as general of preventive patrol
directed patrol
a patrol strategy that is designed to focus on a specific type of criminal activity at a specific time
hot spots
concentrated areas of high criminal activity that draw a directed police response
crime mapping
technology that allows crime analysts to identify trends and patterns of criminal behavior within a given area
reactive arrests
arrests that come about as part of the ordinary routine of police patrol and responses to calls for service
proactive arrests
arrests that occur because of concerted efforts by law enforcement agencies to respond to a particular type of criminal or criminal behavior
broken windows theory
Wilson and Kelling’s theory that law enforcement should crack down on quality-of-life crimes to reduce overall crime
community policing
a policing philosophy that emphasizes community support for and cooperation with the police in preventing crime
problem-oriented policing
a policing philosophy that requires police to identify potential criminal activity and develop strategies to prevent or respond to that activity
police subculture
the values and perceptions that are shared by law enforcement agents
socialization
the process through which a police officer is taught the values and expected behavior of the police subculture
blue curtain
a metaphorical term used to refer to the value place on secrecy and the general mistrust of the outside world shared by many police officers
stressors
the aspects of police work and life that lead to feelings of stress
burnout
a mental state that occurs when a person suffers from exhaustion and has difficulty functioning normally as a result of overwork and stress
reasonable force
the degree of force that is appropriate to protect the police officer and other citizens and is not excessive
deadly force
force applied by a police officer that is likely or intended to cause death
police corruption
the abuse of authority by a law enforcement officer for personal gain
noble cause corruption
knowing misconduct by a police officer with the goal of attaining what the officer believes is a “just” result
duty
the moral sense of a police officer that she or he should behave in a certain manner
