Chapter 1 SOCE

Roles in the Community

• The Supporter role involves helping people who are grieving, hurt, or experiencing a personal tragedy, requiring a compassionate and reassuring presence.
• As a Supporter, you may need to calm a lost child, help a confused person with Alzheimer's, or interview someone who has gone through severe trauma.
• To effectively fill the Supporter role, it's essential to learn about the community and its people, which can be achieved by reaching out to community members.
• Building relationships with community members will also increase the likelihood of them reaching out to you for support.

The Stabilizer

• The Stabilizer role requires displaying confidence to calm others in critical incidents, such as disaster recovery and responding to traffic crashes.
• As a Stabilizer, you must maintain your composure and guide those who are struggling to remain calm, bringing order to uncontrolled situations.

The Enforcer

• The Enforcer role involves duties typically associated with law enforcement, such as making arrests and maintaining order by giving lawful commands.
• As an Enforcer, you need to be assertive and give orders rather than ask questions.
• Although the Enforcer role is necessary, the majority of your time will be spent as the Supporter and Stabilizer.

The Criminal Justice System

• The criminal justice system maintains and enforces criminal laws, involving structures, functions, and decision-making processes of agencies dealing with crime and criminals.

Components of the Criminal Justice System

• The three main components of the criminal justice system are:
  • Law Enforcement
  • The Courts
  • Corrections

Law Enforcement

• Enforces laws
• Maintains civil order
• Protects the constitutional rights of everyone within the United States

The Court System

• Interprets laws

Corrections

• Enforces punishment and rehabilitation services as defined by the court system

Involved Parties in a Crime

• A complainant is a person who reports a crime or alleges that a crime has been committed.
• A witness is any person who has information about some element of the crime or about evidence or documents related to the crime.
• A victim is a person or entity that suffers an injury as a result of a crime, which can involve physical harm, loss of money, loss of property, or damage to property.

Confidental Sources and Persons of Interest

• A confidential source is a person who provides information in confidence about a crime, and their identity is normally not disclosed unless required by law.
• A person of interest is someone involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime, often cooperating with the investigation or having information that can help.

Suspects and Offenders

• A subject is a known person accused or suspected of committing a crime, but may not have actually committed the crime.
• A suspect/detainee is the person believed to have committed a crime, identifiable through:
  • Direct observation
  • Indirect witness observations and statements
  • The suspect's own statements
  • Evidence collected during the investigation
• An arrestee is a person who is under arrest or has been arrested.
• A defendant is a person formally accused of committing a crime or a civil wrong in a court proceeding.
• An offender is a person convicted of a crime in a court of law.

Procedural Justice in Law Enforcement

• Procedural justice focuses on carrying out justice in a fair and equitable manner to increase compliance and positive views of law enforcement.
• When people believe they have been treated justly, they are more likely to comply with laws and have a positive view of law enforcement.

Pillars of Procedural Justice

• Fairness and Consistency: Consistency in decision-making and treating people with respect is key to perceived fairness, not just outcomes.
• Voice and Representation: Involve groups in decisions that affect them and listen to their concerns to ensure they feel represented.
• Transparency and Openness: Decisions should be made without secrets and deception to promote trust.
• Impartiality and Unbiased Decision-Making: Decisions should be based on relevance and data, avoiding biases.

Procedural Justice in Police Work

• To practice procedural justice, use the LEED framework in daily police work
• The LEED framework consists of four components: Listen, Explain, Equity, and Dignity

LEED Framework Components

• Listen: give everyone a chance to tell their side of the story
• Explain: always explain your actions to the people you interact with
• Equity: make fair decisions in all interactions
• Dignity: treat people with respect and dignity

Bias and Unbiased Policing

• Bias is the unfair treatment and attitude towards a group of people, considered unethical behavior
• Unbiased policing ensures equal treatment of individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, national origin, homeless status, mental or physical disability, age, or other self-defining characteristic

Types of Bias

• Explicit bias: a conscious dislike of certain groups, often manifesting as openly hateful and biased actions
• Implicit bias: an unconscious prejudice, not recognized by the individual, influencing judgments about others
• Implicit bias is present in everyone, regardless of education level, class level, age, or other factors
• Our brains make unconscious associations, influencing our judgments and decisions

Key Principles of Unbiased Policing

• Decisions based on evidence and data, rather than emotions and predetermined ideas
• Fair and impartial treatment of all individuals, without discrimination or prejudice

Stereotyping and Its Consequences

• Stereotyping involves judging a group of people based on personal opinions or experiences, which can be unfair and harmful.
• Both positive and negative stereotypes are harmful because they categorize people unfairly.

Impact on Law Enforcement

• Judging individuals based on stereotypes can lead to missed valuable information and clues, potentially hindering investigations and putting lives at risk.
• Law enforcement officers should avoid prejudice and discrimination to maintain effective relationships with the communities they serve.

Prejudice and Discrimination

• Prejudice is an unjustified and baseless attitude toward a person based on their membership in a social group.
• Prejudices can stem from learned behavior and attitudes.
• Discrimination occurs when people act on their prejudices, leading to harmful consequences and potential liability.

Consequences of Discrimination

• Discrimination can break down relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
• It can also lead to liability and negative outcomes.

Stress

• Stress is a physical or emotional reaction to an event or situation, which can be perceived or real.
• Stress can be a physical or mental response to a demanding situation or change.

Effects of Negative Stress

• Slows reaction time
• Makes you question your decisions
• Clouds your judgment

Positive Stress

• Can make you aware of a potentially dangerous situation
• Prepares you to react

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

• Fight: body prepares to face the danger head-on
• Flight: body prepares to get away from a dangerous situation
• Freeze: body fails to react

Types of Stress

• Routine stress is a normal part of daily life, often involving ordinary tasks and responsibilities.
• Examples of routine stress include being an officer, balancing home and work, and taking care of day-to-day tasks.

Acute Stress

• Acute stress is short-lived and occurs when experiencing unexpected changes in life.
• Examples of acute stress include the end of a relationship, the death of a family member, or sudden unemployment.

Traumatic Stress

• Traumatic stress occurs during major events that threaten personal safety or the safety of others.
• Examples of traumatic stress include war, disasters, incidents of assault, or other similar events.
• Most people who experience traumatic stress are able to recover, but some may be at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Secondary Trauma

• Also known as vicarious trauma, occurs when a person is exposed to the trauma of others and develops physical or mental impacts
• Can result in absences at work, inability to focus on tasks, and a shortened career

Compassion Fatigue

• Emotional exhaustion that comes from helping others on a long-term basis
• Symptoms include:
  • Irritation
  • Withdrawal from social situations
  • Feeling emotionally drained