Understanding the Criminal Justice System CJUS 101 Chapter 7: Police Misconduct
Police Misconduct 1.Police corruption / crime - opportunity a. Meals and services - owner wants protection - feels pressured b. Kickbacks - direct suspect / witness / victim - attorney / tow-truck / bail bond - paid fee
Misconduct c. Opportunistic theft - checking for open doors / windows - searching crime scene d. Planned theft - using position to commit crimes e. Shakedown - extort money: business / citizens f. Protection
Misconduct - protecting illegal activities g. Case fixing - alter report / evidence / testimony h. Private security - greater protection: people / places i. Patronage - favoritism in hiring / promotion / assignment
Misconduct 2.Violence / brutality - contempt of cop - peer pressure a. Use of force - necessary / reasonable - state law - department manual b. Brown vs. Mississippi (1936) - US Supreme Court
Misconduct - coerced confessions (1) Brutality - pressure to perform - suspicion / racism / hostility - condemnation of officers (2) Police authority - question / resist authority - verbal / physical force - compliance
Misconduct (3) Social value - look down on certain groups - drunk / transient / drug user - sex offender / criminal (4) Decision-making - taught to use force - protect yourself c. Deadly force
Misconduct - reasonable / necessary (1) Authorized to use - a last resort - stop fleeing felon (2) Tennessee vs. Garner (1985) - posed significant threat of death - serious physical injury - to officer or others
Misconduct (3) Supervision difficult - unknown location - contact by radio (4) Doctrine of sovereign Immunity - cannot sue w/o permission - ruled unconstitutional (5) Who polices the police? - the public - complaints filed
Misconduct 3.Curbing police brutality - changes that must be made a. Administration / policy manual - provide strong leadership - establish standards / set example b. Recruitment / training - tighter screening - polygraph / psychological - background check / medical
Misconduct (1) Pre-disposed personality - power / action (2) Community police training - cultural awareness - community interaction - community trust - negotiation skills c. Integration - hiring minorities / females
Misconduct - cross section of community - provides greater understanding d. Civilian review board - allow public input - public judges - need to be trained e. Community oriented policing (COP) - more public contact - social service workers
Misconduct f. Laws / prosecution - greater penalties for police - civil suits filed g. Police professionalism - education / salary / professional goal / code of conduct