Policing in America: A Balance of Forces (2nd Edition)

Written in a clear and conversational manner, this comprehensive survey on policing in America seeks to define police as a product of correlated social, historical, political, legal, individual, and organizational forces. Encouraging readers to integrate available research and theory, it provides a detailed description on policing with analyses of current police and practice problems, covers the complexity of policing in America, and offers a comprehensive survey of the different police and law enforcement agencies working in the country today. Gives readers "big picture" coverage of major issues , including analyses of the history of policing; the police industry in the U.S. (federal, state, special-purpose, private, and local policing agencies); the basic functions of police in American society, and; the development of community policing, an assessment of police misconduct and control, and the likely future of policing in America. Thoroughly updates data and research literature citations, places a greater emphasis on the topic of police discretion, and groups major "correlates" of policing into one section, offering insightful perspectives on police and the community, police organization goals and structures, police management, and the characteristics of police officers.