S. Policing the Police

Both in the U.S. and internationally, policing has undergone fundamental challenges and changes over the recent years. Changes in the policing workplace and in the mission of policing have led to new theories and models of policing, changes in the relationships between citizens and police, and a rethinking of the role of policing in the modern world. Recurring crises and challenges to policing have animated new forms of regulation, from constitutional to administrative to democratic regulation. Yet police remain the first line response to problems of disorder and crime, and gatekeepers to the criminal justice system. This seminar will examine theories of the regulation of policing, exploring assumptions about the police function, policy implications for criminal law, and empirical evidence supporting or refuting the effectiveness of particular models of policing and models of police regulation. Specialized topics will include use of force, racially selective enforcement, police discretion, the rise of private policing, civilian review, order maintenance, institutional design of policing, litigation and consent decrees, and the intersection of policing and national security.


REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES
Grades will be based on (1) student participation in class debates, (2) brief synopses of critical questions in each week's reading, and (3) a final paper. The seminar paper will be an original work relevant to substantive, methodological, or procedural dimensions of the course work. Think carefully at the outset about an issue or controversy that interests you and can serve as the topical focus of your paper. (The paper may partially fulfill either major or minor writing requirements). The paper will be a comprehensive, thoroughly researched analysis of specific aspects of the law of police and police regulation. The paper should draw upon relevant doctrinal, policy, or behavioral science literature in addition to analyses of caselaw and policy. Students should confirm their paper topic with the instructor before submitting an absttract and finalizing the topic. The abstract of your proposed paper is due on October 8, 2024, and an outline of the paper is due one month later. Papers should be approximately 30 pages (including footnotes, in either legal or social science style).