SOCL 3371 Lecture : LECTURE 7
Document Summary
Police operate within the context of a subculture. Obligation to support your fellow officers is top priority. Skolnick argues that the work of police, influences police officers" outlook of the world in significant ways. Focuses on elements in the social environment of law enforcement. Explains how social environment effects the capacity of police to do their jobs. Continual possibility of potential violence makes police vigilant of those who break the law. Results in police officers becoming suspicious person. Causes police to develop a perceptual short hand to identify potential assailants. Makes the position of police officer a powerful individual. Relates to goldstein"s anomaly in a free society . Makes the officer an outsider to the rest of the community that is being protected by the officer. Danger + authority + efficiency = social isolation. The civilian world is an audience for the policeman which further promotes police isolation from society and, in consequence, promotes solidarity amongst po-lice!
