CRIM 3655 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Totalitarianism, Homicide, Trivial Pursuit
15 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Common sense notions on what police is about. Critical thrust that enable us to transcend common sense notions on policing. Instrumentality with reference to policing: narrow conception that policing equals law enforcement and that law enforcement equals crime control. This tri apartheid equation is seen is valid, but must be subjected to critical scrutiny. The problems associated with this hegemonic perspective can be illustrated in various ways: 1 incident where no criminality is taking place, yet they are faced with a charge. Another incident where criminality takes place, yet there is no charge. There are some opportunities that question that equation: policing is a highly selective endeavour. The criminal justice system is kin to a conveyor belt, upon which some persons are likely to be placed on that conveyor belt, and others are very much unlikely. The other limitation of the hegemonic perspective is largely founded on the proposition that the primary business of the police is serious issues.
