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8: The Culture of Law Enforcement

  • Page ID
    32960
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    • 8.1: Police Subculture
      This page examines the dual aspects of police culture, emphasizing positive traits like camaraderie and teamwork alongside negative traits such as cynicism and bias. It details how subculture influences recruits' ethics and societal roles, with historical insights into evolving attitudes, particularly on racial issues.
    • 8.2: Socialization of Police
      This page examines the dual impact of socialization on police recruits, noting how it fosters loyalty but may also normalize unethical behavior and distort duty. Training often emphasizes camaraderie over legality, contributing to ethical confusion. While many recruits possess strong morals, some adopt negative traits through socialization, undermining the values of the police force.
    • 8.3: Skepticism and Cynicism
      This page discusses how cynicism within the police subculture adversely impacts officers' views and behavior, contrasting it with constructive skepticism that encourages critical thinking. It highlights that cynicism fosters a pessimistic outlook on human nature and can lead to disengagement, ethical issues, and alienation from management. The challenges officers encounter contribute to their cynical attitudes, complicating their relationships with the community and their law enforcement roles.
    • 8.4: Moral Culpability versus Legal Culpability
      This page explores moral culpability and mens rea, emphasizing how intent affects legal outcomes in offenses like homicide. It uses examples such as infanticide in the context of postnatal depression and self-defense to illustrate these concepts. The text blurs the line between moral and legal culpability, particularly for law enforcement, who must navigate ethical considerations in their actions.
    • 8.5: Impact of Technology
      This page explores the vital role of technology in modern policing, particularly surveillance-oriented security technologies (SOSTs) like CCTV and AI. It highlights the balance between enhancing security and addressing ethical concerns, particularly regarding privacy. Interviews with crime reduction practitioners reveal systemic challenges, such as compatibility issues, inadequate support, and disconnect between management and frontline workers.
    • 8.6: References
      This page summarizes academic studies on policing, covering aspects like police culture, training, ethical dilemmas, and socialization within the police force. It explores topics including the anti-social police personality, decision-making ethics, and the impact of organizational culture on behavior, providing insights into the complexities and evolving dynamics of law enforcement.


    This page titled 8: The Culture of Law Enforcement is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Henry White (Prince George's Community College) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.