An in-depth critical analysis of how ruling elites use the police institution in order to control communities.

The massive uprising following the police killing of George Floyd in the summer of 2020--by some estimates the largest protests in US history--thrust the argument to defund the police to the forefront of international politics. It also made The End of Policing a bestseller and Alex Vitale, its author, a leading figure in the urgent public discussion over police and racial justice. As the writer Rachel Kushner put it in an article called "Things I Can't Live Without", this book explains that "unfortunately, no increased diversity on police forces, nor body cameras, nor better training, has made any seeming difference" in reducing police killings and abuse. "We need to restructure our society and put resources into communities themselves, an argument Alex Vitale makes very persuasively." The problem, Vitale demonstrates, is policing itself-the dramatic expansion of the police role over the last forty years. Drawing on first-hand research from across the globe, The End of Policing describes how the implementation of alternatives to policing, like drug legalization, regulation, and harm reduction instead of the policing of drugs, has led to reductions in crime, spending, and injustice. This edition includes a new introduction that takes stock of the renewed movement to challenge police impunity and shows how we move forward, evaluating protest, policy, and the political situation.

This text provides an accessible, up-to-date and thought-provoking introduction to policing for all those undertaking degrees and foundation degrees. It aims not only to inform students and prepare them for their course, but also to expose them to some of the challenges they will face as they begin their studies and/or policing careers. This book is the essential foundation for the Policing Matters series, explaining what policing is, what the police do, the context for policing and what are the main issues it faces and challenges it poses.

The SAGE Dictionary of Policing is the definitive reference tool for students, academics and practitioners in police studies. The Dictionary delivers a complete guide to policing in a comprehensive, easy-to-use format. Contributions by 110 of the world′s leading academics and practitioners based in 14 countries map out all the key concepts and topics in the field. Each entry includes: " a concise definition " distinctive features of the concept " a critical evaluation " associated concepts, directing readers to linked entries " key readings, enabling readers to take their knowledge further. In addition, The SAGE Dictionary of Policing offers online resources, including free access to key articles and links to useful websites. This is a must-have for students, lecturers, researchers and professionals in police studies, criminology and criminal justice. It is the ideal companion to the SAGE Dictionary of Criminology: together the two books provide the most authoritative and comprehensive guide available. Alison Wakefield is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of New South Wales. She was previously based at City University, London. Jenny Fleming is Professor at the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania.

This book provides a highly readable introduction to the role and function of the police and policing, examining the issues and debates that surround this. It looks at the 'core functions' of the police, the ways in which police functions have developed, their key characteristics, and the challenges they face. From the outset questions are asked about the conceptual contestability and ambiguity of policing, and different views of police roles are addressed in turn: policing as social control, crime investigation, managing risk, policing as community justice, and as a public good.

The police are perhaps the most visible representation of government. They are charged with what has been characterized as an "impossible" mandate -- control and prevent crime, keep the peace, provide public services -- and do so within the constraints of democratic principles. The police are trusted to use deadly force when it is called for and are allowed access to our homes in cases of emergency. In fact, police departments are one of the few government agencies that can be mobilized by a simple phone call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are ubiquitous within our society, but their actions are often not well understood. The Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing brings together research on the development and operation of policing in the United States and elsewhere. Accomplished policing researchers Michael D. Reisig and Robert J. Kane have assembled a cast of renowned scholars to provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the institution of policing. The different sections of the Handbook explore policing contexts, strategies, authority, and issues relating to race and ethnicity. The Handbook also includes reviews of the research methodologies used by policing scholars and considerations of the factors that will ultimately shape the future of policing, thus providing persuasive insights into why and how policing has developed, what it is today, and what to expect in the future. Aimed at a wide audience of scholars and students in criminology and criminal justice, as well as police professionals, the Handbook serves as the definitive resource for information on this important institution.

Introduction to Policing: The Pillar of Democracy is an introductory textbook focused on the underlying reasons why policing is conducted the way it is, why police officers police the society in the manner they do, and, finally, why law enforcement is perceived and criticized by the public the way it is. As indicated in the title, the book weaves the themes of democratic principles into the chapters. Through addressing the basic blocks of fair and professional policing, the understanding of democracy from the prism of certain police actions or inactions becomes comprehensible from a very pragmatic perspective. Other introductory policing textbooks simply concentrate on the functions of policing or on the processes that cause officers to feel the way they do, but without explanations of police functions in democratic societies. Whether democracies are developed or are developing, they consistently provide more freedoms for their citizens than others. The basic principle of the "majority rule," which is based on elections that are procedurally and substantively fair, is the rule of thumb around which certain themes of this text will be addressed. Civil rights, civil liberties and due process embed many of the operational realities of policing. Whether one addresses notions such as use of force, search and seizure, discretion, sub-culture, or intelligence gathering, it is always done from the perspective of the need to preserve precisely these themes, which are part of the human rights and civil rights concepts which underlie any type of a democratic society. The following Teaching Materials are available electronically: Multiple-choice/True-False/Short Answer test banks in Word, .txt or pdf format. Blackboard and Moodle formats also available. Other LMS formats may be available; specify test bank type in your request. Test Bank also available through Respondus. Two sets of PowerPoints are available to adopters: Set one contains material from the book (ideal for online instructors). View sample slides here. Set two is more supplemental (less repetition of book material). View sample slides here. Email [email protected] for more information.

This text provides an accessible, up-to-date and thought-provoking introduction to policing for all those undertaking degrees and foundation degrees. It aims not only to inform students and prepare them for their course, but also to expose them to some of the challenges they will face as they begin their studies and/or policing careers. This book is the essential foundation for the Policing Matters series, explaining what policing is, what the police do, the context for policing and what are the main issues it faces and challenges it poses.

This groundbreaking new text by Michael Rowe is the first genuinely introductory, comprehensive textbook on policing. It incorporates all the key areas of a policing course, from the history of the police and the legal framework, to current debates around issues such as diversity, surveillance and the nature of police occupational culture. The book highlights the way in which theory applies to practice at every step. Introduction to Policing offers: - Accessible coverage of all essential topics - An insightful approach, which explores and unpicks contemporary issues in a truly readable and lucid manner - Excellent learning features throughout, to challenge and stimulate students - including boxed examples, self-check questions and answers, further reading and a full glossary - A student-friendly writing style that encourages students to engage with debates and to develop critical thinking skills With its breadth and depth of coverage, extensive learning features and engaging writing style, students of criminology and criminal justice will find Introduction to Policing an indispensable introduction to key themes in modern-day policing. ′The pedagogical features offer good guidance and make the text accessible and relevant, something that many other policing texts fail to do.′ Matthew Millings, School of Law, Liverpool John Moores University ′A clear, concise, user-friendly introduction to policing′ Professor Robert Reiner, London School of Economics ′An invaluable resource for students.... this comprehensive and readable work provides a step-by-step guide to the key issues and debates concerning policing today.′ Professor Michael King, Birmingham City University