SOC 3750 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Toronto Police Service, Erving Goffman

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3750
• Professor: Patrick Parnaby

Document Summary

Discretion the ability to decide on the basis of one"s own judgement. Dimensions: knowledge (usually partial, temporality (reflect on the past, anticipate the future, power (element of power involved based on your position have considerable impact on people around us) Discretion could mean many things: scholars have for the most part focused on selective enforcement . Technically the officers are not compelled to enforce the law their job entails an incredible amount of discretion should they choose to use it. Factors that determine whether the law will be enforced (usually arrest vs. non-arrest) Emphasis on how flexible policing really is in the moment. Cultural perception legitimate policing involves routine, consistent enforcement of law: legality/illegality distinction is straightforward, belief that any violation of the law compels officers to act. Mask of full enforcement clockers and mastrofski. Of cers go out of their way to construct the image that the law is equally enforced at all times.