Sample Essay on:
The Use of Discretion in Police Work

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Essay / Research Paper Abstract

This 8 page paper examines how police use discretion in the course of their work. Ten separate examples are provided for analysis. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

Page Count:

8 pages (~225 words per page)

File: RT13_SA729cop.rtf

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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:

television teaches the public. If police officers fail to apply the law, their case might be thrown out of court. However, the reality is that police use discretion quite a bit. The hole in the doughnut theory that comes from Dworkin and Hart equate the visual with the concept of discretion ("Police Discretion," 2004). Using this analogy, the hole in the doughnut is attached to discretion and the doughnut is the actual police policies and procedures ("Police Discretion," 2004). Effectively, the hole is where the law runs out ("Police Discretion," 2004). Discretion allows for officers to use their insights and skills to make decisions in unpredictable situations ("Police Discretion," 2004). This is desirable. Police officers are not soldiers ("Police Discretion," 2004). They are human and must assess various situations. Discretion should not come to mean that officers make safe choices so they do not have to deal with consequences, but rather, that they make good choices ("Police Discretion," 2004). Discretion is important in every profession. Without it, people are tied to rules and regulations, some of which do not make any sense. It is important to note that discretion is something that is tied to normative behavior ("Police Discretion," 2004). Also, it is important to note that sometimes the public wants certain rules enforced and at other times, it does not ("Police Discretion," 2004). Police must incorporate mores and expectations into their decisions, and not just what they feel is right at the moment. Discretion in police work is very important, but it is important for officers and the public to understand just how it is used. II. The Use of Discretion in Police Work The concept of police discretion was not discussed until 1956 when the bar association happened upon it ...

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