Criminal Justice - Development of the American Pol | Criminal Justice

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Study GuideCriminal JusƟce–Development of the American Police1. Developing the New PoliceThe years between the end of the Revolutionary War and 1900 were a time of major change in theUnited States. Society was growing quickly, and notalways smoothly. Industrialization createdfactories and new jobs, urbanization packed people into crowded cities, immigration brought manynew cultures and communities, and slavery created deep social conflict. Together, these changes ledto rising crimeand disorder.To deal with these problems, Americans began searching for a new way to maintain order. Instead ofrelying on informal systems like night watches, they looked overseas for ideas. One of the biggestinfluences came from London, England.1.1 Robert Peel and the “Bobbies”A British politician named Robert Peel played a key role in shaping modern policing. In 1829, heconvinced Parliament to pass the Metropolitan Police Act. This law eliminated the old night watchsystem and created a full-time, uniformed police force in London.The new police had a clear goal: preventing crime before it happened. This was a major change. Inthe past, law enforcement mostly reacted after a crime occurred, often relying on citizens to raise analarm. Peel’s police focused on prevention instead.To achieve this, officers practiced preventive patrol. They walked regular routes, called beats, throughcity neighborhoods. These officers became known as “Bobbies,” named after Peel. The idea wassimple: if police were visible on the streets, potential criminals would be discouraged from breakingthe law.Peel also introduced a military-style organization. Officers wore uniforms, followed strict rules, andworked within a clear chain of command. Ranks, discipline, and authority were central to how theLondon police operated.

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Study Guide1.2 AdopƟng the London Model in AmericaAmericans liked some parts of the London system, but not all of it. They adopted the idea of crimeprevention through patrol and organized policedepartments with a military-style structure.However, Americans rejected the idea of a national police force. The British police were centralizedand controlled by the national government, with little political interference. Americans believed thissystem was too elitist and not democratic enough.Instead, American police departments were local and decentralized. Political leaders in city wards andneighborhoods had strong influence over police hiring, policies, and daily operations. This meant that,unlike in London, American police were closely tied to local politics.1.3 The First American Police DepartmentsBoston established the first modern American police force in 1838 with the creation of a day watch.New York City followed in 1844 by forming its own police department. These early departments laidthe groundwork for today’s police system.In many cities, police reform involved adding daytime officers or combining day and night watches intoone organization. Officers were hired full-time and paid salaries, which marked an important steptoward professional policing.1.4 The Problem of PoliƟcal ControlAs police departments grew, political machines gained control over them. These machines dominatedcity governments and used police jobs as rewards for political loyalty.Police positions were often given to members of ethnic groups that supported the political machine.As a result, police departments reflected the racial and ethnic makeup of the politicians’ supporters—not necessarily professional standards or public needs.1.5 The Problem of CorrupƟonCorruption became widespread during this period. Police officers frequently ignored vice laws, whichregulated activities like drinking, prostitution, and gambling. In exchange, they accepted bribes frompeople who ran these illegal businesses.

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Study GuideEfforts to eliminate corruption rarely succeeded. Powerful political groups benefited from the system,so there was little motivation to change it.1.6 Police Brutality and Racial/Ethnic DiscriminaƟonTension between police and the public grew over time. Many citizens saw police officers as poorlytrained, poorly supervised, and loyal to politicians rather than the community. This damaged publictrust.Some Americans also felt that policing was too authoritarian for a democratic society. Police brutalitywas common, especially in situations involving racial, ethnic, and class conflict. These problemsfurther strained relationships between the police andthe communities they served.2. FronƟer JusƟceLife on the American frontier was dangerous and unpredictable. In the western territories, there wereoften no established police forces at all. As a result, crime and disorder were common. To deal withthis problem, people created a mix of private and public law enforcement systems. These early formsof policing filled the gap until more formal agencies could be established.2.1 Vigilantes: CiƟzens Taking the Law Into Their Own HandsOne of the earliest responses to the lack of law enforcement was theformation of vigilantecommittees. These groups were made up of local citizens who believed they had no choice but toprotect their communities themselves.Vigilantes arrested suspected criminals, held trials, decided guilt or innocence, and carried outpunishment. While they aimed to bring order, vigilante justice often lacked fairness and legalprotections, making it controversial and sometimes violent.2.2 Sheriffs: The First Formal Law EnforcementAs territories began to develop governments, the sheriff’s office became the first official lawenforcement agency beyond the Mississippi River. Sheriffs were usually elected and had legalauthority within their counties.

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Study GuideThey enforced laws, made arrests, and maintained order over large and often dangerous areas.Although resources were limited, sheriffs marked an important step toward organized policing in thefrontier regions.2.3 State Police: Expanding Law Enforcement PowerThe first territorial police agency in the United States was theTexas Rangers. The Rangers wereoriginally formed in 1835 as a group of fighters during the Texas revolution against Mexico. Over time,they transitioned into a professional law enforcement agency.In 1905, Pennsylvania created the first modern state police force. This model spread quickly, andwithin 20 years, state police agencies became common across the country.Early state police often handled tasks that local police could not or would not do. These dutiesincluded breaking up labor strikes and enforcing laws in rural areas where local policing was weak ornonexistent.2.4 U.S. Marshals: Federal Law on the FronƟerThe U.S. Marshals Service is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the United States,established in 1789. During the 19th century, marshals played a crucial role in frontier justice.Riding on horseback, marshals made arrests, served court documents, transported and managedfederal prisoners, and even conducted the U.S. population census. Their wide range ofresponsibilities made them essential to maintaining federal authority in distant and unsettled regions.2.5 Why FronƟer JusƟce MaƩersFrontier justice shows how policing developed in response to real challenges. With little structure andvast territory, early Americans relied on a mix of citizen action, local officials, state forces, and federalagents. While these systems were imperfect, they laid the foundation for the modern law enforcementagencies we have today.

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Study Guide3. Progressive Police ReformBy the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Americans believed the police needed serious reform. Thisbelief grew out ofProgressivism, a social movement that supported change, improvement, andreform instead of keeping things the same.Progressives were responding to the challenges of a rapidly growing urban and industrial society.They pushed for major reforms, such as regulating large corporations, cleaning up corruption in citygovernments, ending child labor, and giving women the right to vote.A small group of civilian reformers, mostly from the eastern United States, entered local governmentto push these ideas forward. One of the most influential figures wasTheodore Roosevelt. Beforebecoming president, Roosevelt served as president of the New York City Board of PoliceCommissioners from 1895 to 1897. During this time, he worked to reduce the power that politicalmachines had over the police.3.1 Civil Service: Hiring Based on MeritOne of the most important reforms introduced by civilian reformers wascivil service.Under civil service rules, police officers were hired and promoted based on merit and performance onexams—not political connections. This system slowly replaced political patronage, where jobs werehanded out as political favors. Over time, civil servicehelped make police departments moreprofessional and fair.3.2 Other Reforms Recommended by ProgressivesProgressive reformers also suggested several other major changes to policing. These included:•Centralizingauthoritywithin police departments to improve organization and control•Improving police personnelby raising hiring standards•Narrowing the police role, so officers could focus mainly on law enforcement•Removing politics from policing, so officers served the public instead of politiciansTogether, these ideas aimed to make policing more efficient, fair, and trustworthy.

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Study Guide3.3 Police as Social WorkersNot all Progressives believed police should focus only on law enforcement. Some saw police officersassocial workerswho should help solve social problems.To support this role, a few departments began hiring women officers. In 1905, the Portland PoliceDepartment hiredLola Baldwinto work in child protection at the World’s Fair. She became the firstwoman police officer in the United States.Another early policewoman,Alice Stebbins Wells, worked for the Los Angeles Police Department.She believed policewomen should serve a helping role similar to that of a mother in the home.However, this view reinforced gender stereotypes. Women were usually limited to working withjuveniles and were not allowed to patrol. Most women were excluded from patrol duties until the late20th century.3.4 The Rise of Police ProfessionalismProgressive ideas about reform eventually led to a second major movement:policeprofessionalism.Many police chiefs argued that departments should operate like modern organizations. A professionalpolice department would be efficient, free from political influence, use moderntechnology, and employwell-trained officers.3.5 August Vollmer: A Leader in Police ProfessionalismOne of the most important figures in police professionalism wasAugust Vollmer, who served as chiefof police in Berkeley, California, from 1909 to 1932.Vollmer believed professional policing meant effective crime control, political neutrality, college-educated officers, and a strong commitment to public service. He introduced many innovations thatshaped modern policing.He was the first to create an academic degree program in law enforcement. His department was thefirst to use forensic science to solve crimes and the first to use automobiles for patrol. Vollmer alsohelped develop one of the earliestcodes of ethics, which banned officers from accepting gifts,favors, or rewards.

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Study Guide3.6 O. W. Wilson: Policing Through Science and EfficiencyOne of Vollmer’s most influential students wasO. W. Wilson. Wilson focused on applying scientificmanagement principles to police departments to improve efficiency.As police chief in Wichita, Kansas, Wilson was one of the first leaders to support the use of single-officer patrol cars. Later, as a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, he became thenation’s leading expert on police administration.3.7 Why Progressive Reform MaƩersProgressive police reform changed the direction of American policing. It reduced political control,improved professionalism, and introduced ideas that still influence police departments today. Whilenot all reforms were perfect, this period laid the foundation for modern, organized, and professionallaw enforcement.4. Crime Control Decades (1919–1959)Between 1919 and 1959, policing in the United States entered what is often called thecrime controlera. During thistime, law enforcement focused heavily on fighting crime and maintaining order. Whilereformers like August Vollmer and O. W. Wilson were promoting professionalism, most policeagencies were mainly concerned with controlling crime and political unrest.4.1 The Red Scare: Fear of Radical IdeasOne of the biggest events of this period was theRed Scare of 1919–1920. During this time, federaland state governments—and even vigilante groups—worked to suppress people who held radical orleft-wing political views.The Red Scare reached its peak with thePalmer Raidsin January 1920. These raids were led byU.S. Attorney GeneralA. Mitchell Palmer. Thousands of people were arrested in 33 cities.Before the raids, theBureau of Investigation(created in 1908) compiled lists of people considered“subversive.” The government promoted the idea that anyone who criticized government policies wasdisloyal. This mindset led to widespread violations of civil liberties.

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