Allyn & Bacon / Prentice Hall

Criminal Justice



Policing in America: A Balance of Forces, 3/E
Robert H. Langworthy, University of Alaska, Anchorage
Lawrence F. Travis, University of Cincinnati

ISBN-10: 0130926248
ISBN-13: 9780130926241

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2003
Format: Cloth; 492 pp
Published: 05/06/2002

Suggested retail price: $102.20
Not available for purchase at this time.

For courses in Introduction to Policing.

This leading text on policing applies a multi-causal model to explain police issues, integrating the history, social context, and correlates of policing into a theoretical understanding of policing in America. The book is designed to encourage students to see the relationships between three primary correlates of police practice—communities, police organizations, and individuals. Praised for its scholarship, both the breadth and depth of coverage, this is the only book that seeks to integrate the broad research literature on policing into a coherent perspective. It guides students in developing an appreciation for the “big pictures”, and an integrated understanding of policing. This edition retains the best of earlier editions, plus includes improvements suggested by colleagues and the latest findings from the continually expanding body of policing knowledge.

  • NEW - Numerous, charts, graphs, and figures—Important concepts and relevant data are presented in easy to understand visual formats to support verbal discussions in the text.

    • Helps visual learners grasp the meaning of words and data.

  • NEW - Integration of emerging issues into the existing analytic framework.

    • Provides students with a current “reference point” allowing them to easily comprehend the topics that are presented.

  • NEW - Inclusion of empirical research addressing several of the questions and issues highlighted in the chapters.

    • Gives students a solid, research-based perspective.

  • NEW - Extensive references in each chapter incorporate the latest information about relevant topics.

    • Provides a solid bibliography for students who wish to begin an independent study of any topic.

  • Chapter outlines—Each chapter begins with a detailed outline of the topics to follow.

    • Alerts students to the importance of the material and how the information adds to a better understanding of policing.

  • Chapter Checkup review questions in each chapter.

    • Highlights important topics and themes in the chapter and allows students to test for comprehension and retention.

  • Running glossary—Important words and concepts are highlighted and defined in the text, and as new words are introduced, they are defined.

    • Alerts students to the importance of specific terms and ideas, and prevents them from having to interrupt reading to consult a glossary.

  • “Balance of Forces” theme throughout—Used as a metaphor for understanding the police.

    • Provides a conceptual framework with which students can organize and integrate the wide ranging literature, theory, and data presented.

  • Conversational, reader-friendly writing style.

    • Engages students in the subject matter and improves comprehension.

  • Chapter summaries—Each chapter ends with a summary, called either “Correlates” or “Conclusion”.

    • Focuses students' attention on how the topics and information in the chapter fit into a broader understanding of policing.

  • A detailed and exhaustive index.

    • Makes it easier for students to find specific topics.

  • Boxes and insets supplement discussion in the text. Includes biographies of people important to the development of policing, photographs to serve as visual cues, and analytic schemes to illustrate how important factors are correlated with policing.

    • Provides students with real world exposure to the field from professionals behind the scenes.

  • Numerous, charts, graphs, and figures—Important concepts and relevant data are presented in easy to understand visual formats to support verbal discussions in the text.

    • Helps visual learners grasp the meaning of words and data.

  • Integration of emerging issues into the existing analytic framework.

    • Provides students with a current “reference point” allowing them to easily comprehend the topics that are presented.

  • Inclusion of empirical research addressing several of the questions and issues highlighted in the chapters.

    • Gives students a solid, research-based perspective.

  • Extensive references in each chapter incorporate the latest information about relevant topics.

    • Provides a solid bibliography for students who wish to begin an independent study of any topic.

I. DEVELOPING A PERSPECTIVE.

 1. Understanding the Police.

 2. The Early History of Policing.

 3. The English Roots of American Policing.

 4. The Evolution of Policing in America.

II. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INDUSTRY IN AMERICA.

 5. Federal and State Police.

 6. Private and Special-Purpose Police.

 7. Municipal and Local Police.

III. CORRELATES OF POLICING: ORGANIZATIONS, OFFICERS, AND COMMUNITIES.

 8. Police Organizations.

 9. Individuals in Policing: Officers and Supervisors.

10. Police Officers.

11. Police and Community.

IV. THE FUNCTIONS OF POLICING IN AMERICA.

12. Law Enforcement and the Police.

13. Service and the Police.

14. Order and the Police.

V. DILEMMAS IN POLICING.

15. Community Policing: Tying It All Together.

16. Controlling the Police.

17. Current Trends and Future Issues in Policing.

Author Index.

Subject Index.

    For courses in Introduction to Policing and Law Enforcement.

     

    Praised for its scholarship, this book uses the “Balance of Forces” metaphor to examine three primary correlates of police practice–police organizations, officers and communities.  Written in a conversational tone, it offers extensive coverage of police history, the current structure of the police industry, and critical police functions. With enhanced visuals and extensive references, this book helps students develop an appreciation for the “big picture” and strives to integrate the broad research on policing into one coherent perspective.

  • 0131580221Policing in America: A Balance of Forces, 4/E
    Travis III & Langworthy
    © 2008 | Prentice Hall | Cloth; 544 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0131580221 | ISBN-13: 9780131580220
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

This third edition of POLICING IN AMERICA: A Balance of Forces, by Robert H. Langworthy and Lawrence E Travis III, provides an updated review of the various police and law enforcement agencies working in the United States today The text continues to provide students with an analytical framework for understanding the police as a balanced product of social, historical, political, legal, individual, and organizational forces. This edition contains updated graphs of the most recent police data and discussions of recently published research that begins to address the "balance of forces" theoretical perspective.

SPECIAL FEATURES
  • Written in a clear style designed to engage the reader's interest and attention.
  • Includes "correlates" sections that examine theoretical propositions about the police in light of current research literature, developing students' analytical and critical thinking about police.
  • Describes the contemporary police industry in the United States, including public and private agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
  • Provides figures and graphs presenting recent data on policing in America.
  • Presents and analyzes the three major functions of policing in the United States: law enforcement, service provision, and the maintenance of order.
  • Covers contemporary issues in policing such as quality of life policing and racial profiling.

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