Ethics in Criminal Justice: Community Policing Evaluated
This paper examines ethical considerations that arise when criminal justice professionals engage in problem-solving and policy implementation. It identifies five common ethical challenges facing law enforcement officers, reviews prominent crime problem-solving models—particularly the SARA model—and applies that framework to evaluate a community policing program. The paper also discusses the role of ethical guidelines and legislation in shaping police-community relationships, outlines stakeholder responsibilities within community policing, and proposes concrete strategies for embedding ethics into departmental mission statements, codes of conduct, and training communications. The analysis draws on scholarship by Pollock, Kappeler and Gaines, Clarke and Eck, and others.
- Ethical Challenges in Criminal Justice Problem-Solving: Five core ethical dilemmas facing law enforcement officers
- Crime Problem-Solving Models and Program Evaluation: SARA model and other crime problem-solving frameworks
- Community Policing: Overview and Core Elements: Definition and three pillars of community policing
- Applying the SARA Model to Community Policing: Step-by-step SARA evaluation of a policing program
- The Role of Ethics Guidelines and Legislation: How ethics rules shape police-community trust
- Stakeholder Ethical Responsibilities in Community Policing: Ethical duties of police departments and leaders
- Implementing Ethics Guidelines in a Criminal Justice Career: Personal strategies for embedding ethics in policing
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper moves logically from broad ethical principles to a specific program evaluation framework, giving the argument clear direction and coherence.
- It grounds abstract ethical concepts in a concrete case—community policing—making the analysis practical and applied rather than purely theoretical.
- The closing section translates academic content into first-person professional recommendations, demonstrating applied critical thinking appropriate to criminal justice coursework.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates framework application: it introduces the SARA model as a theoretical tool and then methodically walks through each stage (Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment) as applied to a real program type. This technique shows readers how to move from a general analytical model to specific evaluative steps, a core skill in criminal justice and public policy writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a survey of ethical challenges in law enforcement, then introduces problem-solving models before narrowing to community policing as a case study. A dedicated section applies the SARA model step by step. Two subsequent sections address the legislative and stakeholder dimensions of ethics in policing. The paper closes with a personal implementation plan, linking academic content to professional practice. This funnel structure—broad to specific, theory to application—is well suited to undergraduate criminal justice writing.
Ethical Challenges in Criminal Justice Problem-Solving
In solving problems, police officers and other members of the criminal justice system are confronted with various ethical challenges. When on active duty, five of the most common issues that actors in the criminal justice system face are: (i) deciding the appropriate level of force to use during arrests, (ii) protecting the rights of civilians while upholding the law, (iii) living an ethical lifestyle outside of work, (iv) operating impartially when engaging with the public, and (v) avoiding the profiling of individuals (Pollock, 2021). These ethical considerations have become even more relevant in modern-day policing.
Crime Problem-Solving Models and Program Evaluation
Criminal prevention planning and problem-solving activities are structured using several crime problem-solving methodologies. The SARA model is the most well-known of various schematic guides produced to aid practitioners in using the problem-solving technique — Scan, Analyze, Respond, Assess. Hough and Tilley (1998) provide greater detail on problem-solving approaches, while Ekblom (2008) created the 5 Is model as a structured problem-solving procedure. In addressing crime problems, these models aid in understanding issues and interpreting outcomes, such as how crime reductions were or were not accomplished.
Community Policing: Overview and Core Elements
Community policing is both a philosophy — a way of thinking — and an organizational strategy — a manner of putting that philosophy into action — that allows police and communities to work together to tackle crime and insecurity. The three significant elements of community policing are community partnerships, organizational reform, and problem-solving (Kappeler & Gaines, 2012). Community partnerships that support law enforcement efforts to reduce crime and the fear of crime are the most important aspect of community policing.
The evaluation of the community policing program discussed in this paper is conducted using the SARA model. This model is a typical problem-solving technique associated with problem-oriented policing, developed by Professor Herman Goldstein. It is therefore considered best suited to evaluate this type of program. The four stages of this process are Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment (Clarke & Eck, 2005).
Applying the SARA Model to Community Policing
To evaluate a community policing program using the SARA model, the first step — Scanning — involves defining the problem. This requires identifying and comprehending the events and circumstances that led to the program and those that followed from it.
The Analysis phase involves identifying the data that must be collected and learning everything necessary to understand the program. This means examining the program as it is currently operating, including its strengths and weaknesses. The scope of the program should be defined as precisely as feasible, and various resources that could aid in understanding the program should be identified (Reisig, 2010). The final step in this phase is to create a working hypothesis regarding the program's current status.
The Response phase involves conceptualizing the intervention and investigating what the program is designed to achieve. This includes outlining the response strategy and determining who is responsible for each component. Specifically, this phase involves defining the particular objectives of the response plan and executing the planned program operations.
The Assessment phase determines whether the strategy was carried out as intended — essentially a process evaluation. It also involves the collection of pre- and post-response qualitative and quantitative data and the determination of whether broad goals and specific objectives were met (Reisig, 2010). This phase further identifies any additional tactics required to supplement the original plan and calls for ongoing evaluations to verify that the program's effectiveness is maintained over time. A useful reference for this approach is the U.S. Department of Justice's guidance on crime analysis for problem solvers.
References
Clarke, R. V., & Eck, J. E. (2005). Crime analysis for problem solvers in 60 small steps. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Ekblom, P. (2008). The 5 Is framework: A practical tool for transfer and sharing of crime prevention and community safety knowledge. Design Against Crime.
Hough, M., & Tilley, N. (1998). Getting the grease to the squeak: Research lessons for crime prevention. Crime detection and prevention series paper 85. London: Home Office.
Kappeler, V. E., & Gaines, L. K. (2012). Community policing: A contemporary perspective. Routledge.
Pollock, J. M. (2021). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice. Cengage Learning.
Reisig, M. D. (2010). Community and problem-oriented policing. Crime and Justice, 39(1), 1–53.
Ziembo-Vogl, J., & Meško, G. (2000). Conceptualizing the ethical aspects of community policing inception and practice. Policing in Central and Eastern Europe: Ethics, Integrity and Human Rights, 523–536.
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