January 27, 2013
Don Alan Mo Frederick
Aaron McDonald
Ashley Richard
Brenda Torres
Sandra Cawthon
Raven Jones
Policing as defined by Merriam Webster is to control, regulate, or keep in order by the use of police. Since the early years of its existence, policing has taken on several changes some historically. Policing has made momentous changes since its implementation. Policing has changed form a one sheriff community to a multi-agency department of law enforcement officials sworn to protect and serve. The changes made in policing have varied from race and gender. The development of policing within each level of government has proven to be an every growing entity with major obstacles. The changes in criminal activity, the age of those breaking the law, and the changing laws has made policing and ever changing agency. Past trends like gangs always have been an issue, but pose serious challenges for law enforcement today. “More and more juveniles are transferred to adult court systems, greater demands will be placed on correctional institutions and their staff (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009, pg. 3, Para 5)”. With the threat of urban terrorism, these aggressive gangs control the social lives of many neighborhoods, becoming more of a threat than foreign terrorists (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009) Past trends like the large use of illegal drugs that are still causing high incarceration rates is proving that incarceration is not working. These offenders, which were incarcerated for these crimes once released relapse into the same criminal behavior, leaving many victims behind. There have been several changes in policing from the mid 1800s. With the continued changes and growth within many communities, the law enforcement community needed to change and grow with the communities. There were many changes that needed to take place to serve the community and society. Many changes have occurred from the