Impacts of Police Corruption on the Community of Paterson
Impact of Police Corruption on the Community of Paterson
Introduction
Corruption by the police is an act that involves the police acting beyond their powers by demanding money from people and in an unreasonable manner. Though the actions may be in relation to their duty, further revelations dictate that police corruption accompany excess force. Inhuman treatment is another aspect of police corruption. Police corruption pauses impacts on any community under the exercise of the vile (Mouris, 2013). Among the impacts, we have categories that take the form of social, economic, political, psychological and religious dimensions (Council of Europe, 2012). In this regard, Peterson is a town located in the state of New Jersey. Police corruption and its related incidences have been under exclusive impact on the way life is perpetuated and appreciated. Police corruption taints the respect in the name awarded by the ordinary people.
Literature Review
Police corruption takes many shapes and angles. It may be director indirect. Similarly, it can be discussed under actual and implied corruption which may not take aspects of actual demanding of money. However, mental and psychological torture may be a resultant feature. In Paterson, police are believed to be roots of all evil. It is in the interests of this study that we identify the impacts that police corruption has on the inhabitants of this town. This study shows that corruption in Paterson is high (Froan, 2009). It is on record that rarely does a day end without more than five of such police corruption incidences.
On the social scale, police corruption has led to weakened kinship ties between community members. It results from the fact that, individuals treated in a brutal in the event they lack the money demanded tend to isolate themselves from the community. The trajectory they take makes them feel unequal to other human beings. Let us take an example where, a middle aged adult is brutally treated by the police in public on the contemplations that he had committed a felony and failed to give out money that was required. The merciless kicks and assaults that follow after may subject the victim to ridicule. It results in feelings of dejection from the public. An individual may opt to leave the parameters of the community in question. Harvard University students conducted a study on amplifications of the manner in which police treat other people in their quest for bribe. It was found out that, elderly victims of the circumstance may leave to a land where they will be ready to do engage in any activity to earn income, as opposed to the likely regarded job back at his home. Individuals who are subjected to police brutality at their tender and young ages develop an attitude. It also follows that, at the preliminary stages in life, it is at a time when individuals develop their personalities. It determines what they will end up to be (Cocroft, 2012).
Open corruption by the police is likely to culminate to delinquency in young members of the society. In a Study by Hall on the personality theories of Crime, it is argued that exposure to such events give juveniles an impression of life founded on corruption, greed, cruelty, harshness and torture. In order to offset their thoughtful instances likely to occur, it is plausible that they eventually develop a resistive force towards emblements of law. Just as ordinary people, similarly the police have families. It is justified to come to the conclusion that families are not likely to coexist as good neighbors. It happens so when the case follows was that the police officer in the context is an extremist when it comes to actual perpetuation of corruption acts. In other words, corruption affects the social fabric of people of New Jersey with a special interest in the inhabitants of Paterson City (Dixon, 2010). Major impacts notable on this basis include the increase in a number of reported instances of conflicts.
Economically, police corruption affects the economy of the United States of America in general. Brutality is always associated with corruption. Majority of people who report instances of brutal treatment state that, at some point, in the event that leads to the instances of brutal treatment, the victims are requested to give out money. Brutal treatment subjects victims in mute situations with no ability to do anything. The advents of the inability to support them drain off family resources.
Corruption in the city of Petersons has led the formation of various organizations purposed to fight for rights of people. It is in response to the action taken by police that is in the violation of laws that guide and direct the conduct of the state. In the year 2011, a research was conducted across all states of the United States of America. It revealed that, all churches that acknowledged the Christ’s faith opined that such demands and practices are not in accordance to the statute that provided for the expected standings of the community. Religion is the basis of all morality and issues that affect and effect humanity. In this effect, corruption has diverted major concerns of the church unit to such an extent that, it requires the church to exclusively deal in trying to harness and mitigate corrosion that emanates from the society. A study by Korean Research team states that, the drive by the church and other faiths originates from the prevailing conditions that happen to be worse in the circumstances.
Political dimensions of Paterson’s have received uncalled for and yonder scope. The occurrences that have shaped politics form on both negative and positive aspects. Police get their power from the rulers. Rulers are political people elected to serve the interests of the people. What happens is political movements are foreseeable. It all emanates from dissatisfaction from other political minded people. Peace and mutuality receives a remarkable change. A study purposed to study factors that led to the great developments in the United States of America revealed that, elements of corruption existed in the nineteen sixties which led to political upheavals .Break off movements is also a phenomenon in his category.
Psychologically, police brutality has amounted to the damage of psychological dispositions of victims. In a speech by JF Kennedy, the former President of the United States, he commented on the research that had placed the country on a scale of countries where people lose breaths at the mention of the word police (Council of Europe, 2012). Everyone worried that they might be found on the wrong side of the law hence liable to the demands of money from the police. In his reiterations, he relied on the prevailing regime that had subjected majority people to anarchy and lawlessness which was actuated with giving of bribes. It is at this instance of anarchy that police harass and extort their innocent victims.
Conclusion
In conclusion, police corruption has been a common phenomenon in the United States of America. Its prevalence in the City of Petersons in New Jersey is overwhelming. Measures must be taken to ensure that the above described impacts do not persist. It is true that the impacts of police brutality bare no good. It is in the interests of general wellbeing of Paterson that strategies and plans must be put in place to minimize on the impacts of police corruption.
References
Cocroft, T. (2012). Police Culture: Themes and Concepts. New York: Routledge Publishers.
Collins, A. (2009). Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States. New York: Human Rights Watch Publishers.
Council of Europe. (2012). Police Powers and Accountability in a Democratic Society. New York: Council of Europe.
Dixon, K. (2010). Police Brutality and International Human Rights in the United States. New York: Amnesty International USA.
Froan, J. (2009). Law Enforcement Operations and Management. New York: Taylor & Franci Publishers.
Lorref, L. T. (2010). Police brutality. NewYork: Greenhaven Press Publishers.
Lyfe, S. (2010). Above the Law: Police and the Excessive Use of Force. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Mouris, P. (2013). Police Corruption: Exploring Police Deviance and Crime. New York: Routledge Publishers.
USA, A. I. (2009). United States of America: police brutality and excessive force in the New York City Police Department. New Y ORK: Amnesty International USA Publishers.
