The Idea of Police

The Idea of Police is one of the core texts in the Law and Criminal Justice Series. It is written by a leading criminologist and is intended as an introductory text on police appealing to a student audience with its highly readable fluid style.Klockars begins with a definition of the police based on their right to use coercive force. He then describes the comparative evolution of the British and US police forces. This provides readers with the historical background necessary for understanding the current state of the police. He also explores the police officer''s role as detective and exposes the moral conflicts and issues of discretion used an a daily basis by police.The last chapter is a theoretical exploration of two questions. What makes a good police officer? And what type of organizational political and social environment encourages good policework?