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- Title
The Importance of "Working Rules" in the Determination of Traffic Stop Outcomes.
- Authors
Kent, Stephanie L.; Regoeczi, Wendy C.
- Abstract
Systematic observation of police initiated traffic stops reveal a set of common working rules that guide the decisions made by officers that determine the outcome of the interaction. We uncover a typology that shows that these rules either aggravate or mediate the likelihood of a citizen receiving a ticket. Of the one hundred fifty seven working rules that were described by officers in applying discretion, the citizen's demeanor and the seriousness of the offense accounted for half of the rules offered. Police reported that polite and/or remorseful citizens were more likely to get warnings and in many instances, the citizen's behavior was not serious enough to warrant a ticket. Police who offered these rules were likely to act on them by issuing tickets or warnings accordingly. Other important "rules" included the sentiment that ticketing would not produce a useful result or that the citizen's lack of a prior record was a good reason to not ticket. Theoretical and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
- Subjects
DEMEANOR evidence; WITNESS credibility; POLICE reports; COMMUNICATION in police administration; WARRANTS (Law)
- Publication
Justice Policy Journal, 2015, Vol 12, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1530-3012
- Publication type
Article