Issues In Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issues In Policing - Essay Example The justice department issues a directive that the so called â€Å"bad apple syndrome† whereby we blame the problems plaguing the police force on a few bad elements is misguided. Consent decrees require that police are held accountable for their actions whether they are at work or anywhere else. They can also be referred to as settlement agreements, consent judgments or stipulated agreements. A consent decree originates from an order given by a judge, which expresses a voluntary agreement by all the individuals involved in a lawsuit or case. Consent decrees arise when the participating parties want to avoid a court trial. Court trials can be long, tiresome and expensive, however, consent decrees are issued because of their ability to obtain results are similar to a court trial (The United States Department of Justice, 2014). Consent decrees can also arise due to the following reasons. There are no financial costs incurred (legal fees) because both parties forgo a trial. A trial is unpredictable, and both parties try to avoid the uncertainties surrounding a court trial. It is good because the necessity of proof and guilt is not required. Consent decrees are mostly favored because the parties involved have control over the remedial plan. They allow both parties to decide on how best to remedy their issues. Consent decrees allow them to implement their agreements voluntaril y rather than by force, and since they hold the same outcome as a court trial, any disregard for the decree is seen more as a violation of the law. It is because the parties involved are bound by the consent decree. A pattern of practice refers to a lawsuit. It is whereby a plaintiff attempts to show that the accused individual(s) or defendants have systematically engaged in prejudiced activities. The plaintiff must provide proof to show that the defendant`s behavior forms a pattern within the routine practices (Pallitto & Weaver, 2007). Discriminatory activities