Law is widely recognized as a function of the society that creates it and is only as good or bad as those who make it, enforce it, and administer it. Law and law enforcement activities reflect the values of lawmakers and the dominant political and economic forces in a society (Calvi and Coleman 332). The law enforcement or police function is itself an outgrowth of the basic values, norms, and mores that shape a society and its definition of what constitutes criminality and deviance. Policing is often a controversial issue and function that has been subjected over time to enormous scrutiny with many interest groups charging that police strategies for crime control and reduction disproportionately affect minority or other groups in society (Maguire 317).
At issue in this analysis is an overview of problem-oriented policing strategies which can be successful in reducing crime. This essay will explore intelligence-led problem-oriented policing strategies, arguing that such strategies not only are effective in reducing crime and disorder, but also in fostering greater transparency and accountability in terms of policing itself.
Discussion: Problem-Oriented Policing
Calvi and Coleman (333-334) note that there is a direct relationship between the law and the systems that are used to enforce the law as well as between the law and the values that are normative within any society. Based upon the U.S. Constitution, police powers have been allocated to all levels of the government with the oversight of the courts. There are any number of procedures and standards of proof under the U.S. system of law that must be met just as there are many rules and regulations that impact on the capacity of law enforcement officers to act autonomously (Calvi and Coleman 170).
Nevertheless, problem-solving or problem-oriented policing is relatively new. From the early 1800s to the 1980s, "patrol and criminal investigation dominated p...