Exam 8: Police Discretion and Its Control

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in ______ allows the police to search a citizen's vehicle if the arrestee could access the vehicle at the time of the search or if it is reasonable to believe that the vehicle contains evidence of the offense.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in ______ requires that police officers inform suspects of their rights when in custody and prior to questioning.

Discuss how neighborhood characteristics influence discretionary decisions made by police officers.

Which of the following is an example of discretion by a police officer?

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in ______ prohibited police use of force against fleeing felons unless there is probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat to officers or others.

To ensure fairness, police are prohibited from using discretion when enforcing the law.

Providing information on use of force on a departmental website, or other such activities aimed at increasing transparency, will likely______.

A(n) ______ is when a person chooses a particular option based on the consideration of information.

The organizational culture of a police department is learned at the police academy.

______ refers to unwritten rules and principles of conduct that are situationally applied.

______ allow members of the public to participate in the process of reviewing complaints against the police.

Explain why the "code of silence" is a major hurdle to in advancing toward a proper functioning police department.

Traffic stops are more likely to occur in low-income areas.

For organizational policies to affect police officers' behavior, they must be supported by training and effective supervision.

Discuss the role victim characteristics play in influencing the discretionary decisions of police officers.

Arrests, use of force, traffic stops, traffic citations, and field interviews are more common ______.

It is best not to share information about potentially controversial issues like use of force incidents as it may incite citizens to lash out at police officers.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in ______ allows the police to stop and frisk subjects when reasonable suspicion exists that the subject is engaged in illegal activity.

Identify and discuss at least four of the potential problems with police discretion.

A police department's "statement of values" should not be limited to the thoughts and ideas of the police chief, or their command staff, but when possible represent the ideas and beliefs of the entire department.