Arrest Discretion of Police Officers: The Impact of Varying Organizational Structures (Criminal Justice: Recent Scholarship)

Annotation Groeneveld Studies The Conceptual And Fundamental Aspects Of Organizational Influence Over Police Discretion In Field Arrests. He Finds That Street-level Discretion By Field Officer?the Basis Of Community Policing--can, And Is, Significantly Affected By Organizational Structures. Most Departments Attempt To Limit Or At Least Delimit Officer Discretion In Making Arrests. Arrest Issues Are No Less Critical To Policing Than Those Pertaining To The Use Of Deadly Force. A Comparatively Small Number Of Arrests Results In Any Appreciable Prosecution, And An Even Smaller Number In Conviction. The Arrest Decision Process Has Represented A Major Gap In The Conceptual Area Of Discretion Control, Especially At The Organizational Level Of Scrutiny. The Arrest Decision -- Police Discretion And Professional Policing -- Measuring Organizational Influence -- How Police Agencies Attempt To Influence Discretion -- Implications For Law Enforcement Practitioners -- Appendix A : Research Questionnaire. Richard F. Groeneveld. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 147-153) And Index. This book studies the conceptual and fundamental aspects of organizational influence over police discretion in field arrests. The author finds that street-level discretion by field officer is significantly affected by organizational structures. Most departments attempt to limit or at least delimit officer discretion in making arrests. Arrest issues are no less critical to policing than those pertaining to the use of deadly force. A comparatively small number of arrests results in any appreciable prosecution, and an even smaller number in conviction. The arrest decision process has represented a major gap in the conceptual area of discretion control, especially at the organizational level of scrutiny There has been significant discussion by legal and academic scholars, practitioners, politicians, and the community as to the core function of law enforcement.