The rise and fall of police legitamacy

Question 1

What are the 4 main stages of the rise and fall of police legitimacy?

Answer 1

The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police
The rise and the ‘golden age’ (1950s) of police legitimacy
The foundations of police legitimacy
The fall of police legitimacy: cracks in the foundations

Question 2

Describe The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police

Answer 2

Before the police was ad hoc, localised arrangements that couldn’t cope with:
Industrial Revolution
urban unrest and disorder in fast-growing cities
an undisciplined labour force

Question 3

Describe The rise and the ‘golden age’ (1950s) of police legitimacy

Answer 3

1950s Britain was a ‘golden age’ for the police with very high levels of recorded public support.
After a contested birth police became associated with British identity and fairness.

Question 4

Describe The foundations of police legitimacy

Answer 4

Legitimate ‘policing by consent’ (as defined by Peel, Rowan and Mayne):
A bureaucratic professional police
Rule of law
A strategy of minimal force (to seem less oppressive)
Non-partisanship (serves everyone equally)

Question 5

Describe The fall of police legitimacy: cracks in the foundations

Answer 5

Failures in foundations
Changes in social context from 1960s
Declines in public confidence

Question 6

What are the three accounts of The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police

Answer 6

The orthodox accounts (Reithian)
The revisionist accounts (Marxist)
Reiner’s account: a neo-Reithian synthesis

Question 7

DescribeThe orthodox accounts (Reithian) of The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police

Answer 7

A natural and necessary development in the social order
A rational response to the new urbanising world
Widely accepted

Question 8

Describe The revisionist accounts (Marxist) of The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police

Answer 8

The creation of public police was to serve interests of ruling classes
Breaking working class culture
Discipline labour force

Question 9

Describe Reiner’s account (a neo-Reithian synthesis) of The contested ‘birth’ of the modern police

Answer 9

Myth and reality in both accounts
Contested by threatened working class: true
But also contested by industrial class and ruling elites: loss of control of policing; fear of state surveillance; dislike of footing the bill

Question 10

Describe some examples of failures in the foundations of police legitimacy that lead to the fall.

Answer 10

Bureaucracy and professionalism: discrimination and corruption
Rule of law: miscarriages of justice eg fabricated evidence
Strategy of minimal force: riots in late 70s = change in police tactics