Past, Present, and Future Trends Essay

Policing as defined by Merriam Webster is to control, regulate, or keep in order by the use of police. Since the early years of its existence, policing has taken on several changes some historically. Policing has made momentous changes since its implementation. Policing has changed form a one sheriff community to a multi-agency department of law enforcement officials sworn to protect and serve. The changes made in policing have varied from race and gender. The development of policing within each level of government has proven to be an every growing entity with major obstacles. The changes in criminal activity, the age of those breaking the law, and the changing laws has made policing and ever changing agency. Past trends like gangs always have been an issue, but pose serious challenges for law enforcement today. â€Å"More and more juveniles are transferred to adult court systems, greater demands will be placed on correctional institutions and their staff (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009, pg. 3, Para 5)†. With the threat of urban terrorism, these aggressive gangs control the social lives of many neighborhoods, becoming more of a threat than foreign terrorists (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009) Past trends like the large use of illegal drugs that are still causing high incarceration rates is proving that incarceration is not working. These offenders, which were incarcerated for these crimes once released relapse into the same criminal behavior, leaving many victims behind. There have been several changes in policing from the mid 1800s. With the continued changes and growth within many communities, the law enforcement community needed to change and grow with the communities. There were many changes that needed to take place to serve the community and society. Many changes have occurred from the 1960s on into the 1990s. One major change in policing has been the representation of African American officers in many police departments (Walker, Katz, Ch.2). The process to the present policing was a slow and effective process, which has changed over the years to create a more effective policing system. To this day, in many communities there are problems within policing. The present problems still include corruption and many political influences from within the community. Policing today has become more effective with little discrimination. The future produces many different avenues for change in police organizations. Technology has grown, times have changed and people are different today when it comes down to policing in the United States. Almost everything will be digital, accurate and there will no longer be a need for as many officers. The use of our satellites in space will be more common and crime will be detected easier and response times will be faster. The communication with fellow officers will be better. With the future so bright, technology evolving by the day, policing organization can only progress. This will also have a positive impact on the community and maybe it will place trust in our judicial system again. . The changes policing has endured over the course of years has evolved policing into a multifunctional agency of dedicated men and women who have promised to protect and serve. For policing to be effective, agencies of the criminal justice system must continue to work hand-in-hand to provide the best protection for its citizens. Policing will be ever changing because of the differences of criminal activity presented and by the type of criminals involved. Reference: Chapter 2 The History of the American Police by, Samuel Walker, Charles M. Katz https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=a8b78864-484e-4b62-b701-f4fe1ceab16e&assetmetaid=861d2838-2f16-4997-b003-4b80c855c78b