Therapeutic reduction is the policing theory that people are not responsible for their own actions; instead, they are victims of diseases and social issues that call for healing and compassion from the law enforcement and psychological communities. An author writes, "The therapeutic reduction, however, denies that persons are ever moral agents, responsible for their actions, and implies instead that they can never be understood and reasoned with as autonomous equals" (Delattre 226). Many experts feel the theory helps undermine policing activities, and does not recognize the fact that people are responsible for their own actions, while others feel it is a more compassionate way to look at people who may not be responsible for their own situations that may lead to their own involvement and activities.
One of the examples of therapeutic reductions is gang involvement. Many believe that many gang members join a gang because of peer pressure, where they live, and their monetary situation. If they did not live in poverty and in urban environments, with little hope for the future, they would not join gangs or become involved in gang activities, such as drug dealing. While this may be the "compassionate" view of criminal activities, to many it seems as if it is simply a way of removing the responsibility for one's own actions, and the victimization of a population that needs to take responsibility, rather than relying on victim status to explain their behavior.
Another example of this theory is drug or alcohol addition as a result of hereditary and genetics, rather than an affliction the addict has come to on their own. It is known genetics can lead to alcoholism and other afflictions, but that is not always the case, the therapeutic reduction theory holds that all cases are due to hereditary reasons, which could not possibly be the case in all instances. Therapeutic reduction seems like a dangerous theory that does not serve the policing community well at all.
References
Delattre, Edwin J. Character and Cops: Ethics in Policing. Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 2006.
