Law Enforcement Role Analysis Guide to understanding behavior in Law Enforcement settings

Key Assumptions All persons act in reference to expectations Expectations are integral to social structure Both “formal” and “informal” patterns of behavior are “expectation based”

Key Concepts Position Positional Sector Expectation Role Role Sector Right Obligation Role Behavior

Definitions Position – the location of an actor in system of social relationships Positional Sector – an element of the relational specification of a position Expectation – an evaluative standard applied to an incumbent of a position Role – a set of expectations applied to an incumbent of a particular position

Definitions (cont 2) Role Sector – a set of expectations applied to the relationship of a focal to a single counter position Right – of an incumbent of a focal position is an expectation applied to the incumbent of a counter position Obligation – of an incumbent of a focal position is an expectation applied to the incumbent of a focal position

Definitions (cont 3) Role behavior – an actual performance of an incumbent of a position which can be referred to an expectation for an incumbent of that position

Dyad

Focal Position Counter Position Diagram

Position Centric

Systemic

Role Conflict Intra-role conflict – perceives that others hold different expectations as the incumbent of a single position – see dyad and position centric Inter-role conflict – individual perceives that others hold different expectations as the incumbent of two or more positions – see systemic When an incumbent of a focal position feels that he/she is confronted with incompatible expectations