1. Issues in Policing
Chapter 7

2. Problems of Policing Job Stress Fatigue Violence and Brutality
Corruption

3. Job Stress Stress can lead to: Negative attitudes Burnout
Loss of enthusiasm and commitment
Cynicism
Increased apathy
Substance abuse problems
Divorce
Health problems
Problematic behaviors

4. Job Stress, continued
Stress may not be constant, but at some time during their career, most officers deal with the effects of stress
Causes of stress
Difficulty maintaining social and family relationships because of schedule and workload
Internal conflict with administrative policies
Poor training
Inadequate pay
Job dissatisfaction
Fears about safety
Effects of stress can be both physical and psychological

5. Job Stress, continued Combating stress
The more support police get in the workplace, the lower their feelings of stress
Stress management programs might help officers focus on the positive aspects of police work

6. Fatigue
An officer who is overly tired may be at higher risk of acting inappropriately or being injured on the job
Controlling police fatigue
Administrators should ensure officers do not work too much overtime
Limitations should be placed on second jobs
Officers should give input about shift decisions

7. Violence and Brutality
Who are the problem cops?
Only a small proportion of officers are continually involved in problem behavior
Some officers are chronic offenders
The officers receiving the bulk of complaints are younger and less experienced
A number of departments have begun early-warning systems to change the behavior of officers who have performance problems
Involves deterrence and education

8. Violence and Brutality, continued
Dealing with problem cops
Administrative policies are an effective control on deadly force
Threats of civil judgments against individual officers are one of the most significant factors in controlling police brutality
Many departments have implemented community policing models to improve relations with the public

9. Corruption
Police departments have almost always wrestled with the problem of controlling illegal and unprofessional behavior by officers
Corruption is often hard to combat because the police code of silence demands that officers never turn in their peers, even if they engage in corrupt or illegal practices
Recent studies reveal that corruption is quite rare

10. Corruption, continued Varieties of corruption
In a general sense, corruption involves misuse of authority by police in a manner designed to produce personal gain for oneself or others
The Knapp Commission uncovered a widespread network of corruption in New York in the 1970s; this commission classified abusers into two groups
Meat eaters aggressively misuse police power for personal gain by demanding bribes, threatening legal action, or cooperating with criminals
Grass eaters accept payoffs when their everyday duties place them in a position to be solicited by the public
Most corruption is of the grass eating variety

11. Corruption, continued The causes of corruption
Police personality—personal financial motives
Institutions and practices—wide discretion, coupled with low visibility
Moral ambivalence
A function of society’s ambivalence toward many forms of vice-related criminal behavior
Environmental conditions
Environmental and social conditions may enhance the likelihood that an officer involves him/herself in misconduct
Corrupt departments—may be generated at the departmental level, which then nurtures deviance
Officer characteristics

12. Corruption, continued Controlling corruption
Corruption can be controlled by strengthening the internal administrative review process
Another approach is known as the accountability system which makes police supervisors responsible for the behavior of the officers in their command
Other departments have organized outside review boards or special prosecutors to investigate reported incidents of corruption
We may also change the social context of policing to make it more visible to the public
Could decriminalize some vice-related crimes