Police & Policing

Question 1

What is the difference between police and policing?

Answer 1

• Police refers to a particular kind of social institution

- Policing implies a set a processes with specific social functions

Question 2

What is police culture?

Answer 2

• Concerns the informal occupational norms and values, accepted practices, rules and principles of behaviour
• Motives or values that guide behaviour

Question 3

What is police discretion?

Answer 3

• Refers to a police officers power to make decisions based on individual circumstances when performing official duties e.g. when to fire a weapon, make an arrest, issue a fine
• Important as it offers flexibility and gives officers the ability to make quick decisions

Question 4

What are some informal controls in society?

Answer 4

• Private security
• Social norms: unwritten rules of behaviour that are considered acceptable in a group or society
• Socialisation processes

Question 5

What are formal controls in society?

Answer 5

Police, law enforcement

Question 6

What is noble cause corruption?

Answer 6

• Where the rules and regulations placed on the police for are breached
• Police will use unethical or illegal means to attain desirable goals, a result which appears to benefit the greater good

Question 7

What is zero tolerance policing?

Answer 7

A strict non-discretionary law enforcement approach that is tough on crime, no use of police discretion e.g. littering, graffiti

Question 8

What is problem orientated policing?

Answer 8

• Systematic use of data to identify factors causing crime problems
• Framework to improve the way police operate

Question 9

What is hotspot policing?

Answer 9

A strategy that involves the targeting of resources and activities to those places where crime is most concentrated