POLS 3600 Lecture 1: pols lesson 1

• School: University of Georgia
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 3600
• Professor: Ethan Boldt

Document Summary

Early societies had no formal police force, often relied on groups of citizens or the military to enforce law. The roots of american policing lie in the english legal tradition. American policing evolved from that tradition: limited authority, local control, fragmented organization. The police in us have limited authority; their powers and duties are specifically defined by law. In the us, policing is fragmented: there are many types of agencies- constable, county sheriff, city police, fbi- each with its own special jurisdiction and responsibilities. Over time, england developed a system in which individuals were chosen within each community to take charge of catching criminals. Not until the 18th century did an organized police force evolve in england. With the growth of commerce and industry, cities expanded while farming declined as the main source of employment and the focus of community life. In the larger cities, these changes produced social disorder.