The various decisions that different participants in the legal system are allowed to make shows what forms discretion takes in criminal justice. WebThe advantages of being a probation officer. We constantly scan our surroundings, look for exits, and keep alert. As you can see, there are many additional benefits for police officers and this can compensate for the relatively low salary policemen get at the beginning of their careers. From there, once the supposed offender has been arrested, the prosecutor can use their discretion to chose to either bring charges against the offender or to dismiss them. If you are thinking about becoming a police officer, you should first consider the many advantages and disadvantages of this profession. By arresting suspects and leading investigations, a police officer can keep the community safe from people who are committing crimes. Hence, make sure that your career is worth all this emotional stress to you before becoming a police officer. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy. There are occasions when our friends or family want us to share our darkest moments, but we usually leave them contained. Others may feel the risk is not worth the benefits that come with being a police officer. Flexible working hours Many security officers have the opportunity to choose their own schedules or work This is not an exhaustive list - it is just illustrative to give you a sense of when an officer can use their own discretion. An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice. Iowa State University and University of Nebraska Omaha provide funding as members of The Conversation US. It's not a lame assignment or a job for a cop looking for a cushy job People still want the personal component since they feel safer talking to a police officer instead of just talking to a robot in case of emergency. Consequently, make sure that you are also willing to do this kind of work before deciding to become a police officer. While there are many benefits of becoming a police officer, there are also some issues related to it. Police officers have to rely on each other to make their operations as safe as possible. What are five negative and five positive personality adaptations cops undergo after experience on the job? WebPros of a Career as a Probation Officer. Although juries do have instructions, it is ultimately up to all twelve individuals to use their discretion when hearing a case and evaluating the facts. Consequently, apart from your decent salary, you will also be able to save money on many occasions in your daily life, which makes becoming a police officer even more attractive from a financial standpoint. Here are eight advantages of being a security officer: 1. Some regions have pretty demanding hiring processes and you will often also have to prove your abilities as well as a high fitness level before you an become a police officer. All rights reserved. It is also not that easy to become a police officer. [Youre smart and curious about the world. Bringing about meaningful police reform requires transformational leadership. Imagine you take away the life of a person and it turns out that this has not been necessary at all. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Discretion in criminal justice is present at all levels of the system and in its bureaucracies. Higher education and police reform efforts are at a critical juncture. In the long run, officers are becoming physically and mentally stronger, which helps to ward off depression and disease. Environmental Conscience aims to provide unique high-quality content that is helpful to the reader. In the long run, this can lead to serious health issues since constant stress is just not good for us. Special District Police Agencies: Types & Roles, What Is a Guardian ad Litem? New police chief hired at N.C. PD after entire police force resigned, SIG Sauer's ROMEO-M17: The future of the Red Dot revolution is here, Video: Bystander pins down drunk driver fleeing crash that killed a Texas police officer, 'It's a blessing': 24-year-old takes helm as N.C. police chief, 'Hold your heart open': Officers, community members attend funeral for Kansas City cop, K-9, keep officers job satisfaction rates high, Open the tools menu in your browser. Some disadvantages of empowering private police with full police authority are the attraction which such authority holds for many undesirable candidates, the risk of increasing unnecessary arrests, limited constitutional restraints on private security employees compared to public police, the increased liability of government entities for actions of private security officers they have licensed, the risk of inequitable enforcement, and expanded administrative responsibilities for municipal governments licensing private police. Moreover, you will also learn how to read people and this is crucial to succeeding not only as police officer, but also in various other parts of your life. Many police officers just have a hard time dealing with this fact and try to suppress it. Our ethics and morals have been tossed out the window and replaced with disconnect and desensitized human shells. Police officers work long hours, often with irregular shifts, including night shifts. America has created its own monster. Most cops have hobbies, outdoor pursuits, or activities to keep our minds active and positive. There are advantages to police discretion, such as allowing officers the flexibility to perform their job, allowing officers to make quick determinations when applying statutory law, and fostering judicial economy. As a police officer, you will also become really good friends with your colleagues over time. Police discretion allows officers to make decisions when a clear solution may not exist. Share it! However, the police have to use their discretion when deciding to perform a search. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2017, police and detectives earn a median annual salary of $62,960 or $30.27 per hour. Police Corruption Examples, Types & History | What is Police Corruption? This could mean that you will not be able to celebrate Christmas or other important holidays with your family and your kids will be quite sad and may even resent you for that in the long run. In turn, you can improve the quality of life of many people and can help them out in difficult periods of their lives. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-2','ezslot_20',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-2-0');Since you will often have to deal with difficult people and have to see many unpleasant things, you will soon take things less seriously and your overall frustration tolerance will increase as well. In fact, it is not easy at all to be a police officer and to deal with all the emotional burden that comes along with it. She has tutored English and History, as well as STEM classes, such as Statics, Calculus, and Thermodynamics. In fact, shifts of 10 hours+ are quite common and this can be really exhausting, especially at nighttime when you will often count every minute until it will eventually be time to go home and fall into your bed. Please note that all the information I provide on this website is to my best knowledge. Many citizens are shielded from the horrors we encounter. However, Ive quit pretty soon after that since I havent found true meaning in my job. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northern Illinois University. This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. Consequently, be aware of the fact that people will not respect you that much anymore and that you will have to deal with insults or even attacks sooner or later in your career. However, before you sign your contract, make sure you read this article since I show you all the pros and cons of being a police officer. Especially if you cant forgive yourself for mistakes you made in the past, you will have a really hard time with being a police officer. If you are still not sure yet, you may have some friends who are police officers and can give you some additional information on this topic. Since enough sleep is crucial for our body and our brain to work properly, sleep deprivation can lead to many serious health issues and also significantly decreases overall quality of life. It permits the police to make quick and appropriate determinations under the circumstances and effectively use law enforcement and judicial resources. You will not only put your own life on the line, also the quality of life of your family will suffer quite a lot since your kids and your spouse will always worry about you. Consequently, your family and friends will likely also have an easier time in their daily lives in general. Police officers can keep their neighborhoods safe, Police officers get high levels of responsibility, Plenty of different fields you can work in, You learn how to deal with difficult people, Police officers get action on a regular basis, You will become really good friends with your colleagues, Most police officers have a high fitness level, Police officers can retire relatively early, Many people have lost respect for the police, You can lose your job due to one big mistake, Being a police officer is not the safest job, Police officers have to work at nighttime, Many police officers suffer from sleeping problems, Some police officers cant deal with events from the past, Especially problematic if you have to work in bad neighborhoods, Police officers have to deal with plenty of paperwork, Top 10 Being a Policeman Pros & Cons Summary List, salary, prospects, future outlook, educational requirements, duties, responsibilities, work-life balance and job satisfaction of police officers, 10 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Art Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Economics Degree, 18 Things To Do After Failing Your Communication Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Education Degree, 19 Things To Do After Failing Your Engineering Degree, 19 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Biology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Psychology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Business Degree, 33 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Casino Dealer, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being An Underwriter, 30 Noble Pros & Cons Of Working For A Hedge Fund, 32 Nerdy Pros & Cons Of Being A Data Scientist, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Loan Officer. Being a police officer also doesnt mean that you have to stay in the field you began your career in. Many police officers also suffer from sleep deprivation or even insomnia. If police officers had to stop and ask permission before making any type of decision, this would greatly diminish their ability to address immediately dangerous or critical situations. Being a police officer also means that you will face a high level of insecurity regarding how your day will really look like. Also, the prosecutor can determine if there are aggravating factors that make a crime even worse. I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice. So are The Conversations authors and editors. However, from these experiences, you can really learn how to handle those situations and you can grow in character. On the other hand, the use of police discretion has been criticized for negative aspects. Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money. However, I will not take any responsibility for incorrect information and will not be liable for any negative consequences that might occur due to the reliance on this information. 1. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics. Police officers are called upon to think quickly and handle difficult emergency situations and, in some instances, save lives. Jessica is a practicing attorney and has taught law and has a J.D. As a police officer, you will also have to deal with many difficult family problems and you will generally see the worst of humanity. Official websites use .gov However, in reality, there are also many downsides related to this job. Proactive Policing Strategies & Examples | What is Proactive Policing? Police officers are given the freedom to use police discretion and make decisions on the job and in the heat of the moment. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OOH: Police and Detectives, Police One: The Pros and Cons of Being a Police Officer. After reading this article, you will get more aware of all the chances and dangers of becoming a police officer and you may even change your mind due to that. However, while you can do a great job for your community, it can be quite annoying and exhausting to work at nighttime. Being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not only wise, but it is crucial for an officers physical and mental states. WebAdvantages of Being a Police Officer You have a high reputation in society Police officers can keep their neighborhoods safe You can help out your family and friends The Police Association notes that if officers are required to have a college degree, then the professions status will be enhanced through increasing educational standards. If your colleagues make mistakes, you could potentially lose your life. Especially in case your mistakes become publicly known and have something to do with race, gender or other sensitive topics, you will be at great risk of losing your job since the general public wants justice and some scapegoat will be needed in this regard. This can be quite problematic since police officers may attack uninvolved residents due to their paranoia. As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see five reasons why police officers should be encouraged to pursue a college degree. This will not only make your life as a police officer easier, but you can also profit from it in your private life since the skill to make rational decisions under difficult circumstances is crucial to succeed in various parts of life in general. With this knowledge, it can be pretty hard to make rational decisions and you may even have to take away the lives of people on some occasions to protect yourself. Policemen not only have to work at nighttime, they also have to work on holidays. Next: 13 reasons why you love being a cop. In fact, your colleagues will become your second family since you simply spend so much time with them. One Grade 9 student said that the presence of police officers made the high school feel safer than other schools. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. You can get our highlights each weekend. Thus, especially if you are a rather skeptic person who doesnt like to rely on others for such important things, becoming a police officer may also not be the right way to go for you. There is also the risk that the police officer might misinterpret a statute when performing their duties. Consequently, it may also be hard for police officers to build trust with others and to make really good friends since they may always mistrust people right from the beginning. Since you will never know what you have to deal with next, your body and your brain will always be exposed to some level of tension during your shift. Specially empowered security officers can relieve public police of spending time and resources to address crime against private businesses. Police discretion examples include an officer's decision whether or not to draw their weapon, to make an arrest, to issue a traffic ticket, to perform a search on a suspect, or to stop and assist someone in need of help. You will often see them proud of their line of work. Let's look at some examples of when a police officer must use his or her discretion. Officers get to work on an individual basis as well as in a team environment. Once the jury uses their discretion to render a verdict, the judge may use their discretion in sentencing. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. I admit, this can be annoying at the beginning. Police discretion, however, has been criticized because it may result in the incorrect application of certain statutes and thereby violate someone's rights, such as their right to not be subjected to unlawful search and seizure as defined by the Fourth Amendment. Many people also greatly underestimate the stress that comes along with being a police officer. In fact, there are countless career opportunities out there and you should just choose the one that seems to be right for you. 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