This book looks at police reform in Canada, arguing that no significant and sustainable reform can occur until steps are taken to answer the question of 'What exactly do we want police to do?' Adding challenge to this is that setting boundaries on what we expect the police to do requires grappling with the complex social problems we ask them to resolve. In public policy language, these are ‘wicked problems’ – social or cultural issues frequently seen as intractable.
Authors Huey, Ferguson, and Schulenberg, all policing scholars, draw on a unique collection of data to explore these issues: over 20 years of research (2000– 2021) ranging from in-depth interviews, surveys, and field observations to document analysis and systematic social observation. Pooling this data generates a national-level picture of changes in the policing operational environment over these decades. This book focuses on four particular wicked problems (mental health, substance misuse, homelessness, missing persons) with causes and potential preventative treatments that lie primarily outside the criminal justice system and yet continue to be treated as 'policing problems.' Bringing about changes in public policing requires changes in public policy, and these are precisely the types of wicked problems that need innovative policy solutions.
This book is suitable for a wide range of audiences within and outside Canada, including law enforcement and community leaders; scholars and policy experts who specialize in policing; students of criminal justice, organizations, and management; and citizen-consumers of information about policing.
Author(s): Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson, Jennifer L. Schulenberg
Series: Routledge Series on Practical and Evidence-Based Policing
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 134
City: New York
Cover
Half Title
Series Information
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Figures
Tables
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Overview
Wicked Problems
How Wicked Problems Relate to Policing
Why Have We Chosen These Issues to Illustrate the ‘Wicked Problem’ Phenomenon?
Our Data
A Roadmap
Notes
References
1 The Policing Mandate and the Question of Reform
Overview
Policing Mandate: What Should Police Do?
Role and Function: What Do Police Do?
What Do Current Reformers Want?
Another Explanation: The Conditions of the Work Never Significantly Change
Downloading: Bug Or Design Feature?
Conclusions
Notes
References
2 Wicked Problem 1: Mental Health
Overview
Tracking Changes: 2000–2010
The Police Operational Environment: 2000–2010
Tracking Changes: 2011–2020
The Police Operational Environment: 2011–2020
Conclusions
Notes
References
3 Wicked Problem 2: Substance Misuse
Overview
Tracking Changes: 2000–2010
The Operational Environment: 2000–2010
Tracking Changes: 2011–2020
Operational Environment: 2011–2020
Conclusions
Notes
References
4 Wicked Problem 3: Homelessness
Overview
Tracking Changes: 2000–2010
The Police Operational Environment: 2000–2010
Tracking Changes: 2011–2020
The Police Operational Environment: 2011–2020
Conclusions
Notes
References
5 Wicked Problem 4: Missing Persons
Overview
Tracking Changes: 2000–2010
The Operational Environment: 2000–2010
Tracking Changes: 2011–2020
The Operational Environment: 2011–2020
Conclusions
Notes
References
6 One Year Later
Overview
The State of #Defund in Canada
Mental Health
Homelessness
Substance Misuse
Missing Persons
Conclusions
Notes
References
Conclusion: Moving Forward
Overview
What We Found
How to Move Forward?
Final Thoughts
References
Appendix: The Studies
Bibliography
Index
