The Police Forces in the American Justice System - Book Review Example

Introduction to the problem

The effectiveness of the criminal justice system relies on the functionality of the constituent units especially the police unit. The police unit is a focal agency in the administration of law and order. Nevertheless, the challenges and issues surrounding the current scope of police jurisdiction and roles raise concerns over what the best approach to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the police forces. Wilson et al. concentrate on the existence of a crop of challenges which has only escalated to new levels with the evolution of time. Challenges in the police units inhibit the efficient performance of the forces and hence obstructing the epitome performance of the criminal justice system (Wilson, Bernard and Cha-Chi Fan 50). The principal issue revolves around the need to acquire, integrate and retain a highly qualified and capable police forces amidst dynamics security requirements and roles of the police forces.

The essence of the police forces in the society is invaluable. The authors of the book boast of incredible knowledge and experience concerning criminal justice matter in the united states. James Wilson is a professor in the school of criminal justice in Michigan University. Wilson has incredible experience handling issues concerning criminal justice, and his expertise is fundamental in the resolution of the personnel management challenges facing the Police force. Moreover, Dr. Charlie Scheer is an assistant professor of criminal justice. The authors integrate their knowledge and expertise to deliberate on an informative and insightful monograph that would improve the criminal justice field by a great milestone.

The challenges facing the police force goes way back although the growth in demand for the roles and the effectiveness of the police render them more challenging at the moment. A reflection of the United States criminal justice system presents a contemplative need to provide comprehensive reforms to ensure that the police forces levels up the expectation of the system. The quality of the police forces and security agencies is an integral demand to ensure an optimal functioning of the judiciary. The United States justice system faces multiple challenges to meet the needs of an efficient justice system (Wilson, Bernard and Cha-Chi Fan 25). The pinnacle of the challenges liaise with the police forces, and the success of other forces around the world would be a phenomenon in resolving a looming crisis and non-functionality of a vital entity in the American society (Lynch and Michelle 16).

Significance of the problem

Wilson et al., 14, acknowledges the numerous challenges associated with the policing work in the modern society. The scope of the police forces responsibilities have significantly changed over time, yet the police forces substantially lack effective mechanism to handle and integrate dynamism in the workforce. The American justice system especially the police departments has been in the spotlight for rather utilizing traditional and obsolete tactics in ensuring law and order. The criticism and the crisis facing the American justice system presents a fundamental concern for the society, and the provision of the solution lies in learning and outsourcing of workforce management mechanisms from different parts of the world. The book addresses in details the shortcoming which results to the ineffectiveness of the police departments in the US as well as successful reforms and solution existing in other countries. Moreover, the book renders exclusive information which is useful in addressing modern challenges facing police forces.

Methodology Review

The book incorporates detailed information provided by the RAND Corporation, an entity concerned with the improving policies and decision-making through research and analysis. The book encompasses a monograph approach in the sought of a sustainable solution for the difficulties facing the police forces in the United States (Wilson, Bernard and Cha-Chi Fan 69). Moreover, the book builds on other resources to deliberate on the best solution to resolve the difficulties and subsequently improves the quality of the United States police departments. Wilson et al. targets to review the present challenges and difficulties in the police departments and provide an official recommendation to improve quality and effectiveness of the workforce. Considerably, the book seeks to address shortcomings of the policing workforce approach that results to multiple demeaning and criticism of the police service in the United States.

The monograph constitutes a comprehensive descriptive analysis of the problem along with supporting evidence resources sourced from various sources. Wilson et al. also outsources some recruitment and staffing policies and mechanism which are successful in other countries. The matter of police recruitment and retention approach concerns sensitive issues thus the book employs a thorough approach to gather supporting evidence on the challenges and difficulties facing the police departments in the United States (Wilson et al. 61). The authors tackle the issue in entirety rather than concentrate on particular police department since the policing functionality is universal. The context and the scope of the book are highly authentic and constitute a credible source of fact for improving the human capital approach in the United States police departments.

Book Summary

Analysis On the Book

The authors lay bare the ailing wounds that the police departments suffer from which constitutes minor mistakes resulting in extensive effects on the society. The book employs an in-depth analysis of factors and challenges singularly leaving no stone unturned about the failings of the police departments. The challenges and difficulties facing the police departments rest on transitional problems which translate to significant setbacks in the administration of justice in the states (Lynch and Michelle 9). The discrepancies in time between the traditional and the present demand for the policing duties produces a substantial difference and further an explanation on the complacency on the performance of the police departments. Contemplatively, Wilson et al. articulate the deficit (bucket) on the dynamic roles of the police departments. The lack of dynamism in the recruitment and retention approaches in the United States lands the police departments in massive challenges and ineffectiveness (Wilson et al. 66).

The book discusses the challenges and difficulties facing the police department by focusing on the police forces as a bucket. The bucket status is a function of internal and external forces all of which can be under control. The best performance of the police departments workforce can be derived through concentrating on singular issues on recruitment and retention of the workforce. The missing of top quality and effectiveness of the police as a unit necessitates the adoption of dynamics techniques to match the ever-changing demands and responsibilities of the police departments (Lynch and Michelle 11). The authors go on to expound on the bucket metaphor by articulating critical issues that constitute the present challenges facing the American society. The book also expresses concerns and issues about worries of the community regarding the justice system.

The monograph objectively addresses the shortcomings of a rather rigid and traditional approach to personnel management in the police departments in the united states. Notably, the lack of dynamism in the forces represents a massive let down for the American society and a compromising exposure to the developed countries. The flaws in the justice system amount to fatal disasters as they cumulatively provide grounds to ridicule the American society in entirety (Scrivner 58). The authors form a reflective analysis of a huge problem in the police service which could only get worse. The American society deserves more regarding quality and effectiveness in the police forces performance hence necessitating the transformation of the personnel management in the departments (Scrivner 89). The solution of the collective police forces rests on improvements at individual levels by addition of quality in training and provision of resources.

Nevertheless, as the authors focus on the difficulties and challenges, he leaves out crucial details on crime handling tactics that the police forces employ despite proofs of complex paradigms of responsibilities. The police ineffectiveness in the modern scope of administering law and order incorporates massive discrepancies, especially in technology. Nonetheless, the author focuses on personnel management as a unit or agent of the challenges and difficulties facing police departments. The problems run deep within the society rather than on police agencies in the country (Wilson, Bernard and Cha-Chi Fan 69). The society has lost it all, and the results implication is the stuffing of the police departments with the impeccable burden and additional roles. Although the personnel management mechanisms in the United Police services are obsolete, there is too much at stake in the adoption and implementation of reforms in the police forces.

The book address a couple of factors or things went wrong under two perspective aiming to hit the bird from both ends. The identification of the two categories of factors attributable to the present challenges and difficulties in the force constitutes a broader scope to the problem. The issues of challenges in personnel management in the police forces presume a broad scope right from training to improving the standards of police performance (Wilson et al. 82). The authors are cautious about leaving stones unturned and comprehensively tackles the bull by its horn by discussing each relevant factor on its own merits. The scope of the monograph is highly informative and educative at the same time whereby is brings to light revelations that little is known about the police departments functioning. The police difficulties are too much to even think about although authentic solutions lie within reach (Scrivner 73).

Contribution to the American Justice System

The book encompasses insightful highlights and offers incredible details concerning the difficulties and challenges facing the police department and the respective solutions going into the future. To meet the threshold of top performance, imminent improvements and a change of tact are essential in the police departments (Wilson et al. 74). The authors provide compound insights and a precise mechanism to render quality and effectiveness in the force. The knowledge conveyed in the book is hugely supportive of the police departments personnel management. The book seeks to help improve and deliver a dynamic workforce that would conveniently serve the American society. Behold, the monograph renders the best chance to review the present status of the justice system workforce and deliver through a well-advanced and modern approach.

The book identifies gap within the agencies whereby the gaps result in the present challenges in the police forces. The authors identify that the entire justice system is in jeopardy regardless of the entity that is ineffectively functioning. The books recommend for an all-round improvement approach to ensure that all the agencies are on the same page to deliver quality and effective performance. Complacency does not have a comfortable space if modern techniques of personnel management are conveniently implemented. The traditional and the obsolete justice ideologies have lost essence, and the police departments should accommodate dynamism if they are to salvage the integrity of the American justice system. The book provides incredible insight regarding the reforms in police forces that would tr...