Criminal Justice Authority Evaluation
Criminal Justice Authority Evaluation
Lori Bell
CJA/550
October 31, 2011
Brenda Ward
Civilian oversight of law enforcement is a vital element of the democratic society. Effective civilian oversight of police is crucial to guarantee that the police use its power of authority in a way that exhibits respect for the law and individual rights and freedoms. The committee’s responsibility is to maintain a balance between police independence and to complete investigations and maintain order without undue political influence, or influence from any other source while remaining accountable to the public. The belief that civilians do not understand what a police officer faces on a daily basis becomes the crux of most complaints made by police officers when it comes to the forming of a civilian oversight committee. Police believe that until a person walks a beat in an officer’s shoes, or accompanies an officer on a dangerous call-out, that a civilian cannot adequately pass judgment on an officer’s discretionary choice during said call-out
Discretionary authority
Discretionary authority: The right to choose what action to take; permission to act. Each facet of the criminal justice system has its own level of discretionary authority. Whether or not each facet wants to acknowledge it, each facet eventually answers to the public. From a police officer writing a ticket or deciding to pursue a fleeing suspect to the probation/parole officer filing a violation of probation or parole – and the organizations in between – each facet must adhere to the policy and procedures for its own agency.
Police
High-speed pursuits draw the attention of just about everybody. Not much is more exhilarating than watching the police chase down and arrest the criminals. However, this exhilaration does not come without a price tag. Whereas most pursuits end without damage, some pursuits end in severe injuries and fatalities not only to the pursued lawbreaker but also to police
Lori Bell
CJA/550
October 31, 2011
Brenda Ward
Civilian oversight of law enforcement is a vital element of the democratic society. Effective civilian oversight of police is crucial to guarantee that the police use its power of authority in a way that exhibits respect for the law and individual rights and freedoms. The committee’s responsibility is to maintain a balance between police independence and to complete investigations and maintain order without undue political influence, or influence from any other source while remaining accountable to the public. The belief that civilians do not understand what a police officer faces on a daily basis becomes the crux of most complaints made by police officers when it comes to the forming of a civilian oversight committee. Police believe that until a person walks a beat in an officer’s shoes, or accompanies an officer on a dangerous call-out, that a civilian cannot adequately pass judgment on an officer’s discretionary choice during said call-out
Discretionary authority
Discretionary authority: The right to choose what action to take; permission to act. Each facet of the criminal justice system has its own level of discretionary authority. Whether or not each facet wants to acknowledge it, each facet eventually answers to the public. From a police officer writing a ticket or deciding to pursue a fleeing suspect to the probation/parole officer filing a violation of probation or parole – and the organizations in between – each facet must adhere to the policy and procedures for its own agency.
Police
High-speed pursuits draw the attention of just about everybody. Not much is more exhilarating than watching the police chase down and arrest the criminals. However, this exhilaration does not come without a price tag. Whereas most pursuits end without damage, some pursuits end in severe injuries and fatalities not only to the pursued lawbreaker but also to police
References: Brereton, D. (2000). Evaluating the performance of external oversight bodies. In A. J. Goldsmith & C. Lewis (Eds.), Civilian Oversight of Policing: Governance, Democracy and Human Rights (pp. pp. 105-124). Portland, Oregon: Hart Publishing. http://avenue-s.us/resources/judicial%20discretion%20to%20condition.pdf http://law.jrank.org/pages/1857/Prosecution-Comparative-Aspects.html https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178259.pdf Lewis, C., & Prenzler, T. (1999). Civilian oversight of police in Australia. Australian Institute of Criminology: Trends & Issues in crime and criminal justice, 141(December 1999), pp1-6. Prenzler, T., & Lewis, C. (2007). Police Oversight Agencies: Measuring Effectiveness. In B. Head, C. Connors & A. Brown (Eds.), Promoting Integrity: Evaluating and Improving Public Integrity Institutions. London: Ashgate. Walker, S. (1997). Complaints against the police: A focus group study of citizen perceptions, goals and expectations. Criminal Justice Review, 22(2), pp. 207-226. Walker, S. (2006a). Alternative models of citizen oversight. In J. C. Perino (Ed.), Citizen Oversight of Law Enforcement. Chicago, IL: American Bar Association Publishing.