Review/Zoom Chapter 4 Lecture: https://ivc-edu.zoom.us/rec/share/aOFkRHYo-lzJhj

Review/Zoom Chapter 4 Lecture:
https://ivc-edu.zoom.us/rec/share/aOFkRHYo-lzJhjYZSUdkQT3-3Mvsce-pD6nUxRaXSZ3g_cTpoh7KjTnZ2us7tykd.qOr9PibThlENj8bJ?startTime=169453604800Links to an external site.
Chapter 4
The rule of law means that the state must exercise its power to coerce and punish within strict bounds. Laws must be written according to established procedures, and no government official is supposed to be above the law. Likewise, no government official is below the law. There is also a due process afforded to them. These basic concepts have defined law-abiding societies for thousands of years, ever since ancient Babylonia. Roman law is the basis of the legal codes of contemporary continental Europe and many other countries, and medieval England’s common law is the foundation of modern English and American law. Other sources of law in the United States are the federal and state constitutions, the body of case law (judges’ decisions in prior cases), administrative regulations, and international treaties.
Most legal systems differentiate between civil and criminal law. In the United States, society (that is, the state), and not the individual, is considered to be injured by criminal acts, and a government prosecutor alone decides whether to bring a criminal case. Criminal defendants can be found “guilty” or “not guilty” (rather than liable for civil damages); they are afforded certain rights not granted to civil litigants; they can be fined, imprisoned, or executed if found guilty; and the standards of proof are higher in criminal than in civil cases.
Depending on their seriousness, criminal law offenses in the United States are classified as felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. To be convicted of any of these, the state usually must show that actus reus (guilty act) and mens rea (criminal intent) coincided. Third (Harm?)…Different “degrees” of mens rea affect the severity with which an offense is punished. Some acts—so-called strict liability offenses—are defined as criminal regardless of intent (for example, having sex with a minor), and some acts that are intended but not completed (such as conspiracy to commit an illegal action) can also incur criminal consequences.
For those accused of breaking the criminal law, a number of valid defenses are available in the U.S. These are mistake of fact (about the facts of the case, not about the law itself), severe intoxication, duress, necessity, self-defense, entrapment (by a law enforcement officer), and insanity. The common element in all these defenses is the absence of mens rea, or criminal intent.
Review/Zoom Chapter 5 Lecture:
https://ivc-edu.zoom.us/rec/share/bv4rMu8VXCI5K-QxeiWxLnv2u1yKvJfoENYJBx6nOwzn1qXkiwK8pFfolZUk2QQ.92mrfrek4zHvuylH?startTime=169453909400Links to an external site.
Chapter 5
The popular view of policing, one that is reinforced by the media, sees the police primarily as crime fighters and law enforcers. In fact, most tasks that police perform involve neither fighting crime nor enforcing the law. But when the occasion demands, the police are those who are entrusted with the authority to use force.
The community policing strategy in vogue today emphasizes crime prevention and the cultivation of a positive relationship between the police and the public. Even though policing in the United States has always been highly localized—a reflection of the high value placed on independence—law enforcement agencies exist at the federal, state, and local levels. The proliferation of agencies can afford greater protection for all citizens but can also result in the problem of fragmentation, which comes starkly to light when agencies fail to communicate critical information to one another and when they provide duplicate services.
Law enforcement agencies recruit widely and screen recruits through a careful selection process. Selected candidates receive classroom training in police academies and one-on-one field training under the direction of a senior officer. Despite the training recruits receive, police occupational subculture may influence officer behavior more than the agency’s rules and policies. Police are given wide discretion to act in the manner they deem most fitting in the particular circumstance. Still, there are some limits on their discretion, especially with the use of force and in vehicular pursuits.
An element of police subculture is the need to maintain authority, but police can misuse their authority when they disregard rules, orders, and laws in the performance of their duty. Officers sometimes try to justify such misconduct by claiming adherence to a “noble cause.” Police who abuse their authority for personal gain are guilty of corruption. To maintain the integrity of a department and its officers, management must investigate any suspicion of misconduct and root out those who are guilty.
Assignment:
Watch the recorded zoom lectures, very important information about your assignment in the lectures.
Read and review Chapters 4&5 in the book.
Review the PowerPoints Chapters 4&5
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1. Watch the Judge Bedsworth video attached about police work today compared to long ago. He is a very respected and longtime Judge in Orange County.
Discussion #1 – What are your thoughts about his speech? This should be well thought out response.
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2. Click on the POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) attached California requirements for a peace officer in your module, Long beach police flyer and the Redondo Beach police recruitment video for background only. Nothing is due in this area, but good information.
The hiring process for an officer is very extensive. After all the requirements listed are met, the candidate is now a recruit and must complete a 9 month police academy.
The academy involves classroom sessions, physical fitness, arrest tactics and firearm’s training.
After graduation, the recruit becomes a probationary officer for one year. That means the officer can be fired for any reason. During that time the officer spends approximately 3-4 months in field training, partnered with a senior field training officer.
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3. Assignment #1 – Training is a big topic in law enforcement, create a training curriculum for a police academy (at least 3 topics). You only need to provide an outline of the topics that you feel would be important for police recruits to be trained in.
In particular, think about what has been happening over the last few years in the criminal justice field and how we can get better?
Why is it important to get better?
Be detailed in the description of the issues you feel are critical in each of the topic areas and why you picked those areas for training.
For example, if in your research you believe that De-escalation training for police officers is important, then describe what is de-escalation training? In your outline use sub- sections for further descriptions of why is it important? How would you implement the training? When, at the academy recruit level or continued training later? I also, gave you a video as an example of innovative training being done with officers and jujitsu.
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Remember to post your thoughts and two replies on the above topics before Sunday September 24th, at 1159PM. You have two weeks to get this discussion/assignment done, so take your time, but put in a good effort.