Explain the concepts of communitarianism, social capital, and volunteerism, and the importance of each to policing

What will be an ideal response?


Communitarianism attempts to nurture an underlying structure of "civil society" – sound families, caring neighbors, churches, clubs, block associations, and nonprofit organizations – that give communities their strength. Communitarians support processes such as problem solving, where neighborhoods have taken matters into their own hands, closing off streets and creating other physical barriers to disrupt the drug trade, working to overcome problems of homelessness and panhandling, and so on.

Social capital concerns those networks, norms, and trust that facilitate cooperation or coordination for mutual benefits. Civic participation is essential within American communities, and building partnerships between citizens and police is part of a larger community-building movement that requires high levels of trust and community engagement. Making city services more accessible, increasing citizen volunteers in government agencies, and developing neighborhood-based governing organizations have helped to increase problem-solving efforts.

Regarding volunteerism, or people giving of their free time to assist public and private agencies and activities, the police have certainly taken advantage of this surge in volunteerism. Exhibit 2-1 in the book provides an example of how several police agencies use, and benefit from, the public's interest in volunteerism.

Criminal Justice

You might also like to view...

Justice Hugo Black favored incorporating criminal procedure rights in the Bill of Rights into the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause in order to even the balance between the prosecution and the defense

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Criminal Justice

A prepackaged set of instruments used for collecting physical evidence from a rape victim is referred to as a _______ ______

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Criminal Justice

After being the victim of repeated abuse, Jonny gives up on trying to tell others about his experiences and merely goes through the motions of living day to day. This is an example of what effect of victimization?

A. behavioral self-blame B. learned helplessness C. hypervigilance D. post-traumatic stress disorder

Criminal Justice

The sociological perspective stresses that:

a. crime is largely the result of personality defects. b. people make decisions based on free will. c. people are social beings more than mere individuals. d. crime can be traced to biological abnormalities.

Criminal Justice