Preview

Power vs Authority

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
663 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Power vs Authority
Power Vs Authority: Week 3 1

Power Vs Authority
Omar Shafi
Westwood College

Power Vs Authority: Week 3 2

"Authority and power are two different things: power is the force by means of which you can oblige others to obey you. Authority is the right to direct and command, to be listened to or obeyed by others. Authority requests power. Power without authority is tyranny." - JACQUES MARITAIN, "The Democratic Charter," Man and the State. There are many difference and in fact many similarities between power and authority. In the criminal justice system, one must realize that they will have both of these traits in possession and must use them wisely in order to maintain stability and balance. You will be given power through assistance from others in your field, through your specific skills you were taught which will develop each day physically and mentally, and people will realize your power as your progress. You will also have authority from your position and who you are as a person. Your influence in the field you work will make people respect you and see you as a higher authority. They will be advised from you from their mistakes and they will learn from you. It is from your power which they will give you authority and your presence. If they do not obey your authority from their negative acts, they will face the consequences, that is power from authority. Power must not be used in the wrong way. If your power is used for the wrong reasons, it can create chaos and you may face consequences from powers above you. Authority must not be used in the wrong way either. Through authority, people must listen and abide from you. You can make people do wrong things and that will cause you to have a bad image. Corrupt cops are an example of power and authority used in the wrong way. When they take advantage of what they are representing the law, they can get away with numerous things if planned and executed

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Ap Gove Study Guide

    • 20135 Words
    • 81 Pages

    Authority – the right to use power; the exercise of rightful power is easier than the exercise of power that is not supported by any persuasive claim of right…

    • 20135 Words
    • 81 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    P1 FINISHED

    • 598 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The most common types of power would be stopping and searching someone or asking someone a question if they look suspicious, for example, stop and search; stop and search means that the police have the right to stop and question you at any time, and they can search you depending on the situation.…

    • 598 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Power is the ability to influence people to perform in a specific way. The ambition of having power, has made humans influence other peoples’ lives and nature. For example, writer David Hume presented and criticized the “is-ought problem—the notion that we can derive what ought to be from an example of what is” (Barash 283). People are not satisfied with what is natural, so they want to go furthermore and try to change it, using any sources they have within their reach. We are unstoppable, the more we have the more we want.…

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Violence, greed, and suffering are all great examples of power being abused negatively. When someone has power, they have the decision to either use that power in a positive or negative way. Sadly, some people decide to use their power in a negative way that affects others. Power can have a negative effect on others by using fear and manipulation.…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Authority is the exercise of power over others, and can be exercised in various different types. Some of these types of authority are used in the public services, but not all are appropriate.…

    • 1954 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is one thing to have power. It is another to know how to use it. Once a person is giver power over others it is important that they know how to use it in the correct way. The more power one has, the more responsibility they take on.…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Dual Federalism

    • 1556 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Authority- refers to the willingness of people to obey government out of respect, while power may be created simply out of fear.…

    • 1556 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    But first, what is Power? When researching Power in a dictionary or thesaurus words such as authority, control, direct, command and influence all appear. These words…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Firstly, authority can be defined as generally and basically, Persons having power or powers that other people will not naturally be allowed to have. Bringing this definition toward linking it to police authority, this is where the police officer has legal power of enforcing laws, and at all times should be given the respect, because they are the gate keepers of society, our “guardian angels” who will be watching over us twenty four seven. For example, we are to respect our parents; they care for us and provide for us our basic needs, I believe that police officers are somewhat the same because they provide us the citizens with safety and when there is a problem we can run to them at many times. Although police authority maybe a good thing, there are also the pit falls with it, in that, there is the abuse of police authority. Some officers due to “bad apples” meaning some officers are dirty cops, because of greed and selfishness, also some officers believe that they are above the law, because they enforce the law, but I believe…

    • 2196 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    New Jim Crow Democracy

    • 3187 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Power and authority rest in the state. While these two words seem synonymous, they hold two very different meanings. Power is the ability to make someone do something they would not normally do through the use of force and…

    • 3187 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Power is one of the only things that humans have always, and will always strive for. Many people think power is good and the more power you have, the better off you are in life. Power, however, can have some downs. Power has a negative effect on people in leadership positions because they abuse their power, and they can control everything and everyone.…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is power? What are different examples of power? How can people gain and maintain power? Power is being able to make something happen or prevent something from happening. You know if someone has power if they are leaders or if they are respected. If you’re a good influence you can also gain power because people begin to follow in your footsteps. Examples of power are political, economic, and social. Political power is an authority held by a group within society that allows for the administration of public resources and implement policies for society. The President has political power and the governor has political power. Social power is the degree of influence that an individual or organization has among their peers and…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It has been said with great power comes great responsibility. When becoming a police officer many responsibilities are laid upon the person but on the other hand many authorities are granted to him or her as well. Imagine a police officer starts abusing his powers; for example, beating the suspect or shooting an unarmed suspect. In our country we have lots of rules and regulation in regards to when and how an officer is allowed to use force and to what extent he can use his power however, there is something else that is called ethics, integrity and morality which I am going to touch on these topics in this essay.…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nursing Theory

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Aspects of personality characteristics and proposes 3 forms of motivation/needs in work situations (achievement, power, affiliation)…

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Power In Corrections

    • 385 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Power is a word that can stand alone. Power can evoke intimidation, motivation, or abuse. Schmalleger & Smykla (2015) state, that there are five types of power that Correctional officers use in an institution, and rely on, to achieve compliant behavior from inmates. They are: legitimate power, coercive power, reward power, expert power, and referent power. Let’s discuss each one, and how to incorporate them in the course of a corrections officer’ work day.…

    • 385 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics