Author Bio

Gemma Halliday is a teaching assistant in the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration at Western Illinois University, where she has commenced study on a Master of Science in Kinesiology and exercise science. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) from Bond University Australia, where she was awarded undergraduate outstanding academic achievement. She is a recent graduate of Western Illinois University with a Master of Arts in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, and was made a member of both Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key International Honor Societies. Ms. Halliday has worked with and studied criminal justice issues in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her current research interests include transnational sex and drug trafficking, and police fitness testing and standards.

LEJA 518 - Issues paper: Police discretion.
Gemma L. Halliday
Western Illinois University

“Enforcing the law without fear or favor” (Goldstein, 1963, p. 141).

The very nature of police work is extremely complex in today’s society. Police officers play an important role comprising of many different tasks concerning; actually enforcing the criminal law, performing order maintenance and other miscellaneous services. It is through these duties and services that police are constantly intersecting and interacting with the community on a daily basis. Thus, they hold a very prominent and powerful position in society that requires them to protect these people’s morals, principles and values. And, the way in which police officers go about their duties and enforcing the law should reflect these morals, principles and values in an evolving, dynamic, and complex society (Jones, 2000; Gaines & Kappeler, 2003). Discretion plays a role in nearly every