Seminar in criminology classmate response 3

Law Response Essay Discussion 3: Criminology Luis Gonzalez was successful in making readers aware of the merits and demerits of having a problem-oriented policing and the broken window theory of policing. For example, in the first paragraph of her discussion, I learnt why organizations would want to choose the problem-oriented policing technique over the broken window policing when it comes to certain situations. As noted by Gonzalez, this form of policing initiative promotes a good relationship between the community and the police officers or department involved, due to good communication. I would also like to add that this type of policing not only promotes a good relationship between the community and the police force, but it also prevents other crimes from occurring. It is possible because the main element of problem-oriented policing is that there is scanning, analyzing of the problem and the response and assessment of the crime. Thistlethwaite and Wooldredge (2013) evidently point this out on page 80, where the authors abbreviate the four steps of problem-oriented policing as the SARA model.
It is from such steps that police are in a better position to develop informed responses which help in reducing more incidents from occurring again. It was clear that Gonzalez wanted her readers to know that this is a type of policing technique where the police cannot work on their own. Crime prevention in United States has often been seen by members of the public only as a police officer’s duty. However, with such policing initiatives such as the problem-oriented policing, the public begins to understand that it is also their duty. This is also evidently pointed out by Thistlethwaite, and Wooldredge (2013), on page 78 of their book, where they say that the police take a broader role in the community when it comes to the problem-oriented policing.
In my opinion, the second part of the discussion on broken window policing also provides readers with a clear view of what it is. For example, Gonzalez has clearly explained what this policing technique attempts to do in a community. Unlike the problem-oriented policing, the broken window policing initiative focuses on the conditions of a community’s landscape and environment to detect problems. I liked that Gonzalez tried to show why this type of policing is effective in certain circumstances, while ineffective in others. I agree that disorders and crimes are some of the effects that come as a result of high poverty and not because of run-down buildings and structures. Lastly, though the author has provided some of the best examples, to support her points, I felt that she left out an important aspect of writing that is a proper referencing system. The use of in-text references to support one’s suggestions with comments from the expert authors is extremely vital. As a reader, I can conclude that Gonzalez has used good illustrations to distinguish between two types of policing techniques.
Reference
Thistlethwaite, A., & Wooldredge, J. (2013). “ Chapter 4: The police role.” In Forty Studies that Changed Criminal Justice: Explorations into the History of Criminal Justice Research (2 ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Higher Ed USA.