Brockport Criminal Justice Faculty Publications
Recent Submissions
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Does Reducing Supervision for Low-Risk Probationers Jeopardize Community Safety?The number of individuals on community supervision in the U.S. far surpasses those incarcerated. Of the 6.6 million addults in 2016 under correctional control, more than 4'5 million (68%) were serving a term of ommunity supervision. Eighty-one percent of the individuals placed on community supervision were on probation. With large numbers of individuals on supervised probation, agencies must explore how to best allocate resources while meeting mandates for increased public safety.
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Time to Step Back and then Move Forward: The Current Frenzy is AsinineWriting of the issues surrounding police engagement with all manner of abnormality, social conflict, deviance, disasters, and disorder, has its slings and arrows. This constant foray into adversity and social dysfunction may result in harmful outcomes for psychological, emotional and physiological systems. Working overtime, dealing with a public that has lost civility in many cases creates stress, adversity, and trauma. Overtime cost may take a toll; we have examples, yet, not all is lost!
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Eight Hours in the Shadow of a Police OfficerComments on police and community interaction often follow an incident resulting in a protest march, demands for the removal of a public office holder, for police to be arrested and other proposed actions. The focus is singularly on police and not the similar behavior of individuals who initiated the confrontation in the opening minutes of interaction. The hue and cry are not about finding sustainable solutions to long-standing problems; it is seeking some quick fix, the sustainability of which is elusive. There is always a larger story than what the media fixates on, and in ignoring it, a disservice is a result. For every encounter with adverse outcomes, the police have confronted someone or a group from the community with whom they are seeking interaction. The behavior of individuals also contributes to the results of the encounter and they must be included in the overall examination. Hindsight, including a variety of agendas, emotions, the inevitable “what it?” questions and many other variables fail to bring clarity to the event before the investigation is complete. The resolution is not possible. The combination of many contributing factors often directs what happens during the call for service.
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Recognition of Our Civilian Emergency and First Responders for Their ServiceWe honor our military and so should it be. The military services engage with those whose compulsion to kill or control others is stronger than a civilized approach to differences. They work in all weather, all conditions, facing not only human enemies of civilized society, but the threat of harm from technology, weapons, and other violence. They work nights, holidays and in weather others avoid. They are away from loved ones, those feelings never diminishing, because of duty responsibilities. Civilian emergency service workers also have a daily concern for their safety and survival, while enduring action that could lead to injury, disability, and death. Where others fear to tread, they overcome, persist and often rush to danger, as they are the civilian warrior class we cannot do without.
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Does Reducing Supervision for Low-risk Probationers Jeopardize Community Safety?THE NUMBER OF individuals on community supervision in the U.S. far surpasses those incarcerated. Of the 6.6 million adults in 2016 under correctional control, more than 4.5 million (68 percent) were serving a term of community supervision Eighty-one percent of the individuals placed on community supervision were probationers ( With large numbers of individuals supervised on probation, agencies must explore how to allocate resources more wisely, all while meeting the mandate for enhanced public safety.
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A Question of Police Role?Laws are created and passed by civilian legislative bodies to include: (a) the stated statute, (b) the elements of a crime, (c) criminal procedures, and (d) prescribed punishment if found guilty. Moreover, appropriately these become the duty of the District Attorney, Judge, and Jury. Civilians make the law, not the police! Police are created to enforce the law. Citizens are expected to adhere to the law. A broader picture often lost in the discussion as some feel any behavior, any attitude, any disdain for society is acceptable. Not so!
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Taking a Smart Approach to Community ProblemsWhen negative events persist, sometimes for years, the solution approach utilized is not working. Rather than continue along an unsuccessful path, a new tactic is needed. The model, the sustainable community capacity building, provides the steps for achieving successful and durable change. Public and private partners from within the community (neighborhood, business, volunteers, other geographic configurations and professional services) are critical in the examination of needs and the development of sustainable programs. Progress is required in adopting a course of action that includes problem identification and drill down exploration, community building, prevention strategies and sustainable solutions.
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Thinking about Policing and the Current Pressure Points: Some Ideas!In my twenty-four years in policing as a sworn officer and chief, followed by an additional twenty-five plus years in higher education, I have some personal observations that I want to share. I refer to the existing polarized state of police and community hyperbole. The new mantra of “breaking news” does not wait until the facts are known before judgment is cast. Yes, some of it is bias and subject to special interests, but to the majority of us, policing has a distinct and essential place in society to keep the peace and to knock down crime and criminality. An important aspect sometimes lost is the absolute need to engage in police and community partnerships centered on collaborative quality of life efforts. The police are not separate from the community, and neither is the community different from the police. Stop acting as if that is true! This post will undoubtedly bring retort as everything seems to do so these days. There are six steps to be taken to improve police and community conditions, with those who want a harmonious society and not turmoil for selfish reasons. The following aspects, when strengthened, can make a difference, at least to my beliefs and experience.
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Addressing & Preventing PTSD in Civilian Emergency ServicesThe face and eyes of police and first responders provide a window into the internal world of thoughts and feelings. When exposed to danger, adversity or traumatic events, they learn to cope, over time, by presenting a mask of calmness, strength, and resiliency. Below the surface lies the accumulating stress, adversity, and trauma whose very presence is harmful to the mind and body of the individual, a lurking danger whose existence may lead to severe consequences.
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Social Work and Police Partnership: A Summons To The Village Strategies and Effective PracticesThis report addresses the social work/law enforcement relationship and the role of police and other human service agencies in dealing with community problems. Traditionally, law enforcement and human service agencies share the most difficult portion of the others’ client caseloads but there has been little interagency communication or cooperation. Effective intervention and prevention requires more than police action and goes beyond the capability of any single agency. Social service has always been a key part of policing while serving victims of crime and offenders has been a major emphasis of social work. Law enforcement and social work have served the same target groups but with varying success. The community now demands that both institutions combine resources and skills to reach those in crisis and victims of crime. Problem oriented community policing is still a work in progress but there is consensus on four elements: prevention, problem solving, partnerships and organizational change. Using these elements as a foundation, this document describes police/social work partnerships that serve as a community response to crisis situations signaled by calls for police service. Heretofore, community policing has focused on developing relationships with individual citizens through foot/bike patrols, dispersed “community policing” sub-stations and neighborhood improvement. Building partnerships with human service agencies has received far less attention. Social work/police partnerships are the next logical step in the development of community policing. They meet the mandate to work together for the benefit of the whole community and to deal with chronic repeat calls for service. These calls signal a serious problem usually involving multiple forms of abuse and indicate the need for summoning the entire village to provide effective intervention and preventive services. The study was conducted to learn about the development, operation and impact of social work/police partnerships on recurring domestic violence and associated deep-rooted police service delivery problems. This document describes effective practices of five successful social work/police partnership models. Chapters I and II give the background of the problem. Chapter III describes five successful partnership models and Chapter IV provides a composite of critical effective practices gleaned from the study sites. Chapter V outlines steps for assessing the problem. Chapter VI and VII are designed to serve as a project development checklist for program planning, implementation and assessment of effectiveness.
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The Historical Value of Time as a Concept of ChangeWith the merger of two police departments into a single agency and the hiring of a visionary police chief, the winds witnessed many re-engineered changes. These changes included adopting community problem-oriented policing as the core philosophy of services, the addition of Geographic Information System software to enhance the analysis and mapping of crime, disorder, and violence and combining the planning and crime analysis units into a single Research, Planning and Analysis Bureau. Central was the integration of the community and police into a working partnership that would address threats to the quality of life in the City of Charlotte.
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The Factor of Combat Stress Reaction: Comparing Military Combat to Law Enforcement and Current Social ViolenceExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn. This chapter looks at combat stress reaction and compares the effects on military and police.
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A Kaleidoscope View of Urban and Rural Policing: How Misunderstanding and Uncaring May Impact on Police OfficersExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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An Examination of the Chicago Dilemma: By Implication, the Remainder of the CountryExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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What to Believe About Police? : When Hype and Illusion Replace Our Willingness to Self-AnalyzeBlaming police, public safety, first responders, corrections and other federal, state, county, and municipal agencies is often a deflection of attention from facts. Why, is it to persuade and seek support for a particular position and less about solutions? Police officers are held accountable when facts and evidence emerge. Lawful protocol and procedure come into play, not emotion and unsubstantiated accusation. Is that not exactly what you and I would also demand?
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The Past Meets the Future and Has Not SeparatedExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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From the Center Outward! Implementation Model of Sustainable Community Capacity BuildingImplementation Model of Sustainable Community Capacity Building Steps: Collaborate Believe Motivate Organize Develop Capacity Implement Evaluate
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Strengthening Resilience of Our Police and First RespondersExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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When Arrows Fly, They Often Injure the InnocentWhen protests rage and apology follows, the result often increases disorder. Among the angry cries for change is corresponding citizen fear, leaking from every human pore, due to uncertainty. All manner of disruption takes place, and the outcomes are seldom positive. Groups who see an opening to argue a point of view or philosophical position, not for sustainable change, rather a noisy agenda are all too often driven by aggressive behavior. Compromise is not the goal; it is complete alteration regardless of ancillary issues. The media flocks to the scene, the cameras roll, and the entire exhibition become a slogan, demand or other sought after outcome and the whole fracas arises from a few words that are used to incite and push an agenda. The problem is we never know who or what lies in the background, the silent energy behind the commotion. We react to conjecture and a severe lack of facts – a worst case scenario on which to address pressing problems and their resolution.
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Solutions to Maine’s Drug Problem: One State's StoryExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn which talks about the need to coordinate efforts of all drug-related programs, from police to treatment options for the greatest chance of success.