Contemporary policing is in crisis, a situation that has led to persistent calls to reform it. Unfortunately, many proposed solutions focus on piecemeal changes that ignore a fundamental problem-policing relies on a largely reactive approach that does not in any systematic or comprehensive way focus on crime prevention. Most of what the police do, such as responding to 911 calls for service and employing directed patrols or hot spots policing, fails to address the causes of crime. Compounding this problem is the absence of any institution or agency charged with prioritizing the prevention of crime and for ensuring that police efforts support this goal. Kelly and Mears argue that a better strategy exists, one that places responsibility on the police and other governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations for truly preventing crime. Why, historically, did crime prevention not take hold and infuse policing? One reason is a design flaw-the vision of policing centered too much on surveillance and too little on efforts that target the diverse causes of crime. The end result? Contemporary policing lacks any institutionalized commitment or systematic approach to crime prevention. It is designed to fail. The Reinvention of Policing diagnoses this problem, along with many others, in American policing. Then the authors turn to solutions. First, they call for a great many reforms to existing practices. Second, they call for a reinvention of the design and focus of policing and, concomitantly, the way that states, cities, and towns approach public safety. This change presents special challenges, but it is the only way to create an appreciable impact in reducing crime and improving justice.
William R. Kelly is professor in the Department of Sociology and director of the Center for Criminology and Criminal Justice Research at the University of Texas at Austin. Kelly is the author of and contributor to several books and articles on criminal justice, law, and policy, including Criminal Justice at the Crossroads (2015), Confronting Underground Justice (2018), and The Crisis in the American Courts (2021). Daniel P. Mears is distinguished research professor in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University. A fellow of the American Society of Criminology and recipient of the Bruce Smith Sr. award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Mears conducts research on crime and policy. His work appears in journal articles and books, including the award-winning American Criminal Justice Policy (2010) and Out-of-Control Criminal Justice (2017).
Acknowledgements About the Authors Preface 1. Our Broken Criminal Justice System and the Failure to Put Public Safety First The Costly Failure of American Criminal Justice Fundamentally Misunderstanding Public Safety Why Focus on Policing? Improving Policing and Public Safety Structure of this Book 2. American Policing: A Litany of Problems Introduction Critical Problems in Policing-Design Flaws Problem 1: Society Thinks that They Have a Crime Prevention Agency-They Do Not Problem 2: The Police Do Little to Address Known Causes of Offending or Crime Problem 3: Goals and Mission Creep Problem 4: Lack of Clarity about How Large Police Departments Should Be Problem 5: Increasingly Militarized Police Problem 6: Lack of Coordination with Courts and Resistance to Reform Critical Problems in Policing-Harmful Impacts Problem 7: Failure to Prevent or Reduce Crime Problem 8: Use of Force: Problems, Effectiveness, and the Ridiculous Problem 9: Racism, Ethnic Bias, and Profiling Problem 10: Police Accountability, Citizen Oversight, and Qualified Immunity Critical Problems in Policing-Operational Issues Problem 11: Inadequate Officer Training Problem 12: Police Discretion and Officer Supervision Problem 13: The 911 System Problem 14: Police Use of Time Problem 15: Police Ill-Equipped to Manage the Consequences of Mass Reentry Problem 16: Police Officers' Attitudes about Their Jobs Problem 17: Public Attitudes about Policing Critical Problems in Policing-Lack of Research, Monitoring, and Oversight Problem 18: Little Systematic Reliance on Research Problem 19: Accountability and the "Black Box" of Policing Conclusion 3. How We Got Here: Policing that Does Not Prioritize Public Safety (Co-authored with Madalena Almanza) Introduction Historical Origins of Policing What Contributed to Expansion of Policing as a Reactive, Control-Oriented Institution Crime Civil Disorder and the Johnson Presidency Tough on Crime The 1994 Crime Bill The War on Drugs Mission Creep: Dumping More and More Responsibilities on Police 911 and Reactive Policing Broken Windows The Warrior Cop Conclusion 4. A Clean Slate: What Would an Effective Public Safety Approach Look Like? Introduction Establish Clear Goals: Crime Prevention and Public Safety Identify and Monitor the Level and Distribution of Recidivism and Crime Identify and Monitor the Causes of Recidivism and Crime Use Evidence-Based Strategies to Prevent Offending and Reduce Recidivism (Individuals) Address Known Causes of Offending and Recidivism Focus on Three Levels of Prevention Rely on a Comprehensive Approach Use Evidence-Based Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Crime (Communities) Address Known Causes of Crime Focus on Three Levels of Prevention Rely on a Comprehensive Approach Coordinate All Efforts Rely on Continuous Research and Assessment Assess and Improve Policy Design Assess and Improve Policy Implementation Assess Policy Impact and Cost-Efficiency Assess Citizen Views and Experiences Conclusion 5. Reforming Traditional Policing-Eliminating What Doesn't Work and Keeping and Improving What Does Work to Promote Crime Prevention and Public Safety Introduction Improve Traditional Policing-What to Eliminate Random, Preventive Patrol, Especially in Large Geographic Areas Traffic Enforcement Aggressive Policing, Zero Tolerance Policing, and Broken Windows Policing Mental Health Calls Police in Schools Predictive Policing Improve Traditional Policing-What the Police Should Do, Do More, and Do Better 911 Reform Hot Spots Policing Problem-Oriented Policing Community Policing Proactive Policing Police Recruiting and Training Police Culture: Transitioning from Warrior to Guardian Conclusion 6. Reinventing Policing within a System that Prioritizes Crime Prevention and Public Safety Introduction Contemporary and Proposed Police Reforms Reinventing American Policing to Accomplish Public Safety Defining Crime Prevention The Case for Crime Prevention Crime Prevention Strategies by Law Enforcement in the U.S. Crime Prevention Strategies by Law Enforcement in Other Countries A New Model for American Policing 1. A Lead Agency Charged with Promoting Public Safety 2. Research Guidance on Crime and Its Causes 3. Multi-Agency Policing 4. Addressing Crime through Police Specialization and Improved Training 5. Crime Prevention through Collective Efficacy and Informal Social Control 6. Crime Prevention through Alternatives to the Police 7. Crime Prevention through a Systematic Approach 8. Crime Prevention through Improvement of 911 Call Systems 9. Leverage Public Support for Reinventing and Evaluating Policing 10. Research Evaluation of Implementation, Effectiveness, and Cost-Efficiency What Has to Happen for the Reinvention of Policing to Be Successful Address Barriers to Reinventing Policing Create Incentives for Reinventing Policing Reality: Pragmatic Considerations and Reinvention of American Policing Conclusion 7. Better Policing and Public Safety Means More Justice Introduction What Is Justice? What Do Police Reforms and the Reinvention of Policing Mean for Justice? Conclusion 8. Conclusion: Public Safety First Introduction A Litany of Problems (Key Points from Chapter 2) Why Policing Is Broken and Needs to Be Reinvented (Key Points from Chapter 3) A Clean-Slate View of How to Improve Public Safety (Key Points from Chapter 4) Reforming Policing (Key Points from Chapter 5) Reinventing Policing (Key Points from Chapter 6) Improved Public Safety Means More Justice (Key Points from Chapter 7) Conclusion Bibliography
