SOC 3750 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Labeling Theory, Vise, Conflict Theories

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3750
• Professor: Joseph Pazzano

Document Summary

A perspective that considers the police to be a politically neutral force that acts primarily to enforce the law and protect the public. Social contract perspective justifies the use of force as a necessary tool to maintain order and maximize the collective good. As members of society, we voluntarily surrender some of our rights and freedoms and delegate them to the police force. Police officers are protective force against crime and social disorder. Social contract perspective may view police force as legitimate. Are the police politically neutral if they refuse to follow the law. Maybe not - maybe there is a space in social contract theory to critique officers for a failure to follow the law. On the other hand, this is going to depend in large part on whether the law sanctions police behaviours. If the law sanctions the acts of police officer then it is politically neutral and vise versa.