From New York to Los Angeles, police departments across the country are consistently accused of racism. Although historically white police precincts have been slowly integrating over the past few decades, African-American officers still encounter racism on the job. Bolton and Feagin have interviewed fifty veteran African-American police officers to provide real-life and vivid examples of the difficulties and discrimination these officers face everyday inside and outside the police station from barriers in hiring and getting promoted to lack of trust from citizens and members of black community.
Many children, from the time they are old enough to be attracted to a siren and flashing lights, dream their whole lives of becoming a police officer. As a retired police officer, herself, Alley Evola looks at the daily ins and outs of the job of a police officer. From recruitment, life at the academy, patrol and eventually promotion, she provides a helpful understanding of what you can really expect. She also looks at the current issues, including race and gender, and how these have shaped certain expectations from the public that a police officer needs to be prepared for when working in this field. When you’re young and dreaming you don’t think about the process it will take to become a police officer. And it’s also not evident until after the police academy the many challenges and issues you will face in the field. So You Want to Be a Cop is for everyone who secretly wishes they were a police officer, or is pursuing their dream in hopes of transforming it into reality.
Careers in Law Enforcement is a valuable resource for students considering a career in the criminal justice field, specifically in policing. Written in a concise and conversational tone, author Coy H. Johnston includes three main sections: planning a realistic path, selecting an appropriate career path in law enforcement, and preparing for the hiring process. The first chapter offers students a unique opportunity to take a personality/career test to help them discover the types of jobs that might be a good fit. Consequently, students will set sensible goals at the beginning of their degree program and seek appropriate internships and volunteer opportunities. This text is a helpful resource students will be able to peruse repeatedly when they are ready to start the process of applying for jobs within law enforcement.
Proactive policing, as a strategic approach used by police agencies to prevent crime, is a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. It developed from a crisis in confidence in policing that began to emerge in the 1960s because of social unrest, rising crime rates, and growing skepticism regarding the effectiveness of standard approaches to policing. In response, beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, innovative police practices and policies that took a more proactive approach began to develop. This report uses the term "proactive policing" to refer to all policing strategies that have as one of their goals the prevention or reduction of crime and disorder and that are not reactive in terms of focusing primarily on uncovering ongoing crime or on investigating or responding to crimes once they have occurred. Proactive policing is distinguished from the everyday decisions of police officers to be proactive in specific situations and instead refers to a strategic decision by police agencies to use proactive police responses in a programmatic way to reduce crime. Today, proactive policing strategies are used widely in the United States. They are not isolated programs used by a select group of agencies but rather a set of ideas that have spread across the landscape of policing. Proactive Policing reviews the evidence and discusses the data and methodological gaps on: (1) the effects of different forms of proactive policing on crime; (2) whether they are applied in a discriminatory manner; (3) whether they are being used in a legal fashion; and (4) community reaction. This report offers a comprehensive evaluation of proactive policing that includes not only its crime prevention impacts but also its broader implications for justice and U.S. communities.
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR GENERAL NON-FICTON ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWS' 10 BEST BOOKS LONG-LISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST, CURRENT INTEREST CATEGORY, LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZES "Locking Up Our Own is an engaging, insightful, and provocative reexamination of over-incarceration in the black community. James Forman Jr. carefully exposes the complexities of crime, criminal justice, and race. What he illuminates should not be ignored." —Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative "A beautiful book, written so well, that gives us the origins and consequences of where we are . . . I can see why [the Pulitzer prize] was awarded." —Trevor Noah, The Daily Show Former public defender James Forman, Jr. is a leading critic of mass incarceration and its disproportionate impact on people of color. In Locking Up Our Own, he seeks to understand the war on crime that began in the 1970s and why it was supported by many African American leaders in the nation’s urban centers. Forman shows us that the first substantial cohort of black mayors, judges, and police chiefs took office amid a surge in crime and drug addiction. Many prominent black officials, including Washington, D.C. mayor Marion Barry and federal prosecutor Eric Holder, feared that the gains of the civil rights movement were being undermined by lawlessness—and thus embraced tough-on-crime measures, including longer sentences and aggressive police tactics. In the face of skyrocketing murder rates and the proliferation of open-air drug markets, they believed they had no choice. But the policies they adopted would have devastating consequences for residents of poor black neighborhoods. A former D.C. public defender, Forman tells riveting stories of politicians, community activists, police officers, defendants, and crime victims. He writes with compassion about individuals trapped in terrible dilemmas—from the men and women he represented in court to officials struggling to respond to a public safety emergency. Locking Up Our Own enriches our understanding of why our society became so punitive and offers important lessons to anyone concerned about the future of race and the criminal justice system in this country.
A comprehensive collection on police and policing, written by experts in political theory, sociology, criminology, economics, law, public health, and critical theory.
Discusses more than eighty career possibilities in police departments, private security, emergency services and more, including information on education, training, and salaries.
Careers in Criminal Justice, Second Edition prepares students to plan, pursue, and realize their career goals—from conception through the hiring process. Coy H. Johnston’s contemporary approach emphasizes student self-reflection and pragmatism in the pursuit of self-fulfillment and professionalism. With coverage of over forty careers in policing, courts, corrections, and victim services, students receive a comprehensive overview of the most popular and growing careers in the field. Self-assessment tools enhance the student’s self-awareness and steer them toward realistic and suitable careers in criminal justice. This easy-to-read guide is organized to prepare and encourage growth throughout the student’s career. New to the Second Edition: A new chapter titled "Volunteering and Internship" (Chapter 9) guides readers through the importance and process of early involvement in the field to create a more enticing resume. Three new "Guest Speaker" profiles offer students new perspectives and practical advice for a variety of careers and geographical areas. New career assessment tools are included to help students realize their compatibility with various careers in the criminal justice field. Expanded coverage of information in critical areas such as private prisons, careers in the judiciary, and resume building ensure students are receiving a balanced introduction to criminal justice careers.
