Critical Understanding of Modern Criminology and Criminal Justice Issues 1

Some believe police exist primarily to reduce crime by arresting offenders as the

entry point for the criminal justice system. Since police do not have the capability to

impact the root cause issues of poverty—lack of employment opportunities; dearth of

mental health or addiction services, mass incarceration, and the like—the paradigm of

police as “law enforcement” can entrap agencies (McLay, 2018). In the midst of this

enigma, leadership must discover pathways to address the nation’s most pressing crime

problems and the issues facing the criminal justice institutions while threading the

needle of public trust.

Crime Data is a study of incarceration in the U.S. and how the analytic trends do

not show a consistent relationship between incarceration and the reduction of crime.

Breaking chains of past policing paradigms, Stakeholders & Outcomes is a segment of

a greater memorandum of understanding (MOU) which is established between allied

agency partners and the Oakland Progressive Tactics Incident Case Set (OPTICS)

Task Force. The role all stakeholders have in gang intervention, prevention and

suppression measures is underscored. In another segment of this MOU, Performance

Measures, the OPTICS Task Force will use a combination of performance measuring

systems to capture the data needed to analyze specific performance of the entire task

force operation.

Crime Data examines incarceration and policing approaches through the

Brennan study which uses a varied methodology to examine data and the manipulation

of those data sets. This study, along with the information on NYPD, CompStat and the

Three Strikes You’re Out law, are just a glimpse of the interwoven manipulation of crime
 Critical Understanding of Modern Criminology and Criminal Justice Issues 2

data to meet agendas whether real, political, to suppress or control, or to have trophy

rights.

In Stakeholders & Outcomes, law enforcement stakeholders collective

experience, resources and communication network streamlines the investigative and

suppression efforts to affect the immediate and long-term response to gang violence. In

addition, intervention and prevention include community, educational enrichment and

engagement programs, presentations and activities to reach youth at all ages. The

partnerships with social services, educational institutions, community advocacy groups

and organizations like NOBLE augment the collaboration beyond the Ceasefire

Partnership Committee to reduce recidivism, incarceration, and strengthen police-

community relations.

Performance Measures identifies the systems of performance measurement

OPTICS will utilize to capture the data needed to analyze specific aspects of the entire

task force operation, components of the gang suppression, intervention and prevention

efforts. Through these methods of evaluating performance measures, OPTICS will be

able to demonstrate the performance of the task force mission through evidence-based

data-driven analytics and coordinated partnerships with all stakeholders.

Law enforcement and public safety leadership roles have deep social impacts in

communities throughout the nation. When issues of community concern arise, leaders

are faced with an important problem-solving role. Therefore, organizations must operate

as an open system, using feedback as a learning loop for constant performance

improvement, and become more responsive to public needs and mindful of the impact

of policing efforts (McLay, 2018). Transcending past policing paradigms and adopting
 Critical Understanding of Modern Criminology and Criminal Justice Issues 3

smarter policing approaches, agencies will earn vital public trust and confidence while

reshaping a better understanding of criminology and criminal justice issues.

References:

McLay, C. (2018). Police Chief Magazine. Sentiment Analysis: The Missing Link
in Police Performance Management Systems. Retrieved from
https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/sentiment-analysis/

Oakland Police Department, Operation Ceasefire. Picture retrieved from

https://www.google.com/search?q=oakland+ceasefire+pictures&rlz=1C1CHBF_e

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eAhUMBnwKHaZSCpwQ7Al6BAgGEA0&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=ERMyiKHC

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Gilliard, D. (2018). Mass incarceration is antithetical to the gospel. Picture retrieved from

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+mass+incarceration&rlz=1C1CHB

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