Law Enforcement Challenges in 2009 - Essay Example

Law Enforcement Challenges in 2009 Law enforcement faces a variety of challenges in the twenty-first century. Never static and in a constant of evolution, law enforcement must address new challenges as they arise. Seeking to address the three biggest challenges facing law enforcement in 2009, this essay will provide a concise overview of the major issues facing law enforcement today. Institutionalized discrimination within the justice system, youth crime and the threat of terror are the three challenges which will be explored in this analysis. These challenges will be discussed and we will conclude with recommendations on how to best address these challenges. Discrimination with the Justice System Racism which is institutionalized is embedded within a culture, organization or society and is an established custom or norm within that social system. Discrimination within the justice system can take a variety of forms. Visible minority youth (Black, Asian or other) may be subject to more random police stop and searches, may be less likely to be cautioned by a judge and may face higher rates of incarceration. In a study commissioned to look at race and the UK criminal justice system it was determined that although black residents account for 2% of the population aged 10 and over in England, their rates of incarceration stand at 12% of the total prison population. This is a whopping and disproportionate 600% increase relative to their total population size in the UK and similar statistics have been found in the United States. Accordingly, in the Blacks and Asians are more likely than whites to be arrested and face longer periods of incarceration (Stephenson et al. 6-11). Gelsthorp & Sharpe found that girls within the youth justice system faced different hurdles in their encounters with the Youth Justice System and were more likely to face institutionalized sexism and paradoxically, more leniency at the time of sentencing (52-61). According to a recent study commissioned in the United Kingdom by the Youth Justice Board (YBJ), the YBJ discovered, through the analysis of 17,000 case decisions studied, the following practices within the justice system: A higher rate of prosecution and conviction of mixed-parentage young males A higher proportion of prosecutions involving black young males A greater proportion of black and Asian males that had been remanded in custody before sentence, especially the greater proportion of black males remanded whose proceedings had not resulted in a conviction A slightly greater use of custody for Asian males A slightly greater tendency for ethnic minorities to have been committed to the court (Stephenson et al. 21-22) This study concluded that there were “differences which were consistent with discriminatory treatment” when comparing the treatment of whites to the treatment of non-whites, as well as to the treatment of males versus females (Stephenson et al. 20). These finding promote the argument that oppression of minorities exists with the justice and may even point to a larger problem of institutionalized racism within said system. Unfortunately non-white youth continue to face discrimination despite measures to ensure inclusive and equal practices. Although this study was based in the United Kingdom, the results are applicable to most developed countries of the Western world. Youth crime Youth violence is endemic in modern society. Young people, both men and women, engage in violence across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic classes. Recently, in light of high profile rampages perpetrated by young people in America such as Columbine and other copycat school shootings, the issue of violence and television has come to the fore. Accordingly, violence on television is an important and increasingly politicized issue. The nature and level of violence on television varies tremendously across countries and across cultures. In the United States, violence among youth is on the rise and arrests for violent crime amongst young women and girls have reportedly increased more than 250% over the past quarter century (Rutter et al 154). Significantly, incidents of youth crime by both men and women are on the rise and youth justice policy makers are starting to understand and tackle the challenges faced by young people within the youth justice system. This approach must address the unique needs of youth within justice system with an eye to deterrence, rehabilitation and the inclusion in non-criminal activities. Terrorism The world changed forever the morning of September 11th 2001. The attacks on the World Center represented the most serious terrorist acts ever carried out on US soil. A watershed moment in world history, that fateful morning will forever be engrained in the American national psyche. From a political, social and economic perspective, the hijackings of 9/11 were unparalleled in scope and sheer devastation. Terrorism – and the threat of terror - can have political, social, and economic ramifications. In a fascinating article entitled “Measuring the Effects of the September 11 Attack on New York City”, it was estimated that the direct cost of this particular attack stood at between $33 billion and $36 billion to the city of New York (Orr, Bram & Rappaport 55). Terrorism in the United States remains a sustained threat to this country and law enforcement in particular has an important role to play to ensure that an event as devastating as 9/11 never occurs again on US soil. While the terrorists of the future may be foreigners or homegrown, law enforcement must remain vigilant to ensure that something like this never happens again. Concluding Remarks Facing a variety of challenges in 2009, law enforcement must respond to unique obstacles and must continually evolve. Accordingly, institutionalized discrimination within the justice system, youth crime and the threat of terror all need to be addressed and tackled in the future. Institutionalized discrimination must be addressed because it poses significant hurdles to the proper application of the law and can be tackled through law enforcement programs aimed at ending discrimination within the criminal justice system. Youth crime is on the rise and should be addressed through social programs aimed at keeping kids away from drugs and gangs. Finally, terrorism remains an omnipresent threat to the stability of this great country and law enforcement officers must remain vigilant to ensure that 9/11 never happens again. Works Cited Bram, Jason, Orr, James and Rapaport, Carol, "Measuring the Effects of the September 11 Attack on New York City." Economic Policy Review 8.2 (2007): 44-69. Gelsthorp, Loraine & Gilly Sharpe. “Gender, Youth Crime and Justice.” Youth Crime and Justice. Eds. Barry Goldson & John Muncie. London: Sage, 2006. 47-62. Rutter, M., A. Hagell & H. Giller. Antisocial Behaviour by Young People. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Stephenson, Martin , Henri Giller & Sally Brown. Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System. London: Willan, 2007. Read More