Description
Disagreements between the Police and the Public. Risk Factors and Management Strategies
Book Summary
This work offers a rigorous and empirical analysis of the factors that can trigger tension and conflict in interactions between the police and the citizenry. Based on an exhaustive review of criminological literature, the author identifies the personal, social, cultural, and contextual elements that influence these encounters. The book not only describes the risks but also proposes management strategies to reduce violence and increase mutual satisfaction, providing the reader with tools to evaluate incidents using objective, less emotional criteria.
What is it about?
The book starts from the premise that the majority of encounters between police and citizens are positive, but some become complicated and lead to the use of force, generating controversies that affect police legitimacy. To address this issue, the work is structured into two main blocks:
- Identification of risk factors: It analyzes in depth the variables that can influence the attitude and conduct of both officers and citizens, including aspects such as the individual's profile, the social context, the police's organizational culture, and the situational circumstances of the encounter.
- Management strategies: It examines management experiences that have shown positive effects in reducing tension, offering practical criteria for professionals to handle conflictive situations more effectively and minimize the use of force.
The final objective is to provide an analytical framework that allows for understanding incidents from an empirical perspective, detached from visceral reactions and based on evidence, thus facilitating better decision-making and an improvement in police-community relations.
Main Topics
- Risk factors in police-citizen encounters: Personal, social, cultural, and contextual.
- Tension management and violence reduction in police interventions.
- Police legitimacy and community relations in a democracy.
- Empirical analysis of critical incidents and the use of force.
- De-escalation strategies and best practices in police interaction.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at professionals in the field of public security, such as members of law enforcement agencies, police commanders, and trainers. It is also of great use to criminologists, sociologists, political scientists, and students of these disciplines interested in the study of social conflict and institutional legitimacy. Likewise, it may be of interest to policymakers and public managers seeking to improve the democratic quality of relations between the police and the public.
What this book contributes
- Provides a theoretical and empirical framework to understand the causes of conflicts between the police and the public.
- Offers objective and less emotional criteria to analyze incidents and evaluate their management.
- Presents strategies and management experiences that have proven effective in reducing tension and violence.
- Helps identify risk factors that can be prevented or managed proactively.
- Contributes to the training of professionals who are more reflective and prepared to interact with the citizenry in complex contexts.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Guillén Lasierra, Francesc
- Publisher: J.M. Bosch Editor
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY, POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
- Collection: O.VARIAS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: July 2018
- Number of pages: 258
- Weight: 400 g
Editorial Assessment
This is a necessary and rigorous work that addresses a subject of great social and political relevance with a scientific and practical approach. The author manages to synthesize extensive criminological literature to offer analytical and management tools that can be of great utility both for police practice and for the academic understanding of conflicts between the police and the citizenry. Its value lies in providing an objective counterpoint to often polarized debates on the use of force and institutional legitimacy, making it recommended reading for anyone interested in improving relations between security forces and society.