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Criminological Theory - Modernity and Policing
This set of notes looks at modernity and policing in cop culture. Rein...
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Criminological Theory (m900)
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University of the West of England
Academic year: 2016/2017
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Modernity and Policing: Cop Culture
Chaaracterstics of ‘cop cultures’
Reiner identifies 8 cucial aspects:
- Mission: Seen by police as a mission or noble vocation. Policing serves a deep moral purpose or mission. This mission is seen in a straight forward way, protecting the weak and innocent from predators. There is a clear division out there in society. Police indispensable to social order they believe.
- Action: police excited by the thrill of the chase. Idealisation of the police. Seen as fundamental to the police. This kind of action isn’t seen as fun and games rather it’s worthwhile and has a deeper purpose.
- Cynicism/pessimism: Tend to see themselves a besieged minority. The idea of the thin blue line. The reality the uphold is being undermined despite their best efforts.
- Suspicion: Restless suspicion, always on the lookout for signs of trouble and threat. Stereotyping, trained to raise suspicion. Trained to see two different types of people: exaggerated unconcern over contact with the office, people who are visibly rattled when see the officer. Contradict each other. Suspicious if insist on civil rights.
- Solidarity/Isolation: Isolation: Suspicion: Police alienation from local communities. Law enforcement role – Pilice alienation from police Solidarity: Isolation: Them versus us mentaility, closing ranks, masks police crimes. Them or outsider activity: Police property group: police see themsleves owning in a metaphorical sense. Theyre essentially low status group with low power who the dominant groups of society see as problematic.
- (6) Conservatism Examples: 80% of officers ‘Conservative’ voters + 18% ‘right’ of Tories in 1980s (Reiner, 2010) General Elections (1979-1992) → 78% of officers voted Tory (Scripture, 1997) Extreme homophobia & disapproval of drug-users (Reiner, 1978:ch) Support “control” rather than “justice” solutions to social problems - “law and order politics” (Reiner, 1980)
- (7) Machismo and sexism Traditional heterosexual masculinity means: Alcohol-abuse & high divorce rate (Reiner, 1978:212) Sexual harassment of female colleagues (PSI, 1983: iv:91-7; Carlen, 1997; Heidensohn, 1998; Westmarland, 2008) Sex-discrimination in recruitment and promotion (Carlen,1997; Fawcett Society, 2009; Heidensohn, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2008; Walklate, 2000)
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Criminological Theory - Modernity and Policing
Module: Criminological Theory (m900)
38 Documents
Students shared 38 documents in this course
University: University of the West of England
Was this document helpful?
Modernity and Policing: Cop Culture
Chaaracterstics of ‘cop cultures’
Reiner identifies 8 cucial aspects:
- Mission: Seen by police as a mission or noble vocation. Policing serves a deep moral purpose
or mission. This mission is seen in a straight forward way, protecting the weak and innocent
from predators. There is a clear division out there in society. Police indispensable to social
order they believe.
- Action: police excited by the thrill of the chase. Idealisation of the police. Seen as
fundamental to the police. This kind of action isn’t seen as fun and games rather it’s
worthwhile and has a deeper purpose.
- Cynicism/pessimism: Tend to see themselves a besieged minority. The idea of the thin blue
line. The reality the uphold is being undermined despite their best efforts.
- Suspicion: Restless suspicion, always on the lookout for signs of trouble and threat.
Stereotyping, trained to raise suspicion.
Trained to see two different types of people: exaggerated unconcern over contact with the
office, people who are visibly rattled when see the officer. Contradict each other. Suspicious
if insist on civil rights.
- Solidarity/Isolation:
Isolation: Suspicion: Police alienation from local communities. Law enforcement role – Pilice
alienation from police
Solidarity: Isolation: Them versus us mentaility, closing ranks, masks police crimes.
Them or outsider activity: Police property group: police see themsleves owning in a
metaphorical sense. Theyre essentially low status group with low power who the dominant
groups of society see as problematic.
-(6) Conservatism
Examples:
80% of officers ‘Conservative’ voters + 18% ‘right’ of Tories in 1980s (Reiner, 2010)
General Elections (1979-1992) → 78% of officers voted Tory (Scripture, 1997)
Extreme homophobia & disapproval of drug-users (Reiner, 1978:ch.11)
Support “control” rather than “justice” solutions to social problems - “law and order
politics” (Reiner, 1980)
-(7) Machismo and sexism
Traditional heterosexual masculinity means:
Alcohol-abuse & high divorce rate (Reiner, 1978:212)
Sexual harassment of female colleagues (PSI, 1983: iv:91-7; Carlen, 1997; Heidensohn, 1998;
Westmarland, 2008)
Sex-discrimination in recruitment and promotion (Carlen,1997; Fawcett Society, 2009;
Heidensohn, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2008; Walklate, 2000)
