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Sociological Perspectives On Police Bureaucracy

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There are three sociological perspectives on police bureaucracy. The sociological perspectives on police bureaucracy are functionalism, conflict, and interactionism. The police bureaucracy is an efficient way for the society to carry out the three functions that are typically associated with policing which includes crime fighting, order maintenance, and service. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) Each of these sociological perspectives are different from each other. They all focus on different things. Functionalist focus on how and what a social group contributes to the stability and functioning of the society. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) The police bureaucracy helps with available resources and direct them toward the achievement of the objectives. Crime fighting function focus on crime prevention by developing conditions and helping members of a community by making sure crime does not happen or hardly occurs. Crime detection is when the society deals with the crime after it has happened. In this case the offender has been arrested or punished. The order maintenance function is defined as ensuring that everyday life in the community is stable without hinderance. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) Police bureaucracy was developed for police to give service to the public. Police bureaucracy helps maintain social order in the society. Conflict theory see society and its components as a competitive battleground where people and groups attempt to get scarce resources. They also want to win which is achieved at the expense of individuals and groups. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) Conflict theorist must determine who benefits from the existence of bureaucracy? When comparing bureaucracies and hierarchies the administrators will have more power and be influential than the staff and officers. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) Police agencies are utilized to help people that may threaten domination. Their job is to enforce property laws which only will help if the person already has possession of the property.
Interactionist focuses less on macro-level issues in which functionalists and conflict theorists. They focus more on the internal work of the bureaucracies. (Palmiotto & Unnithan, 2011) They are more interested in problems

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