POLICE STYLE AND LEGALLY SERIOUS CRIME - A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS

Research on jurisdictional variation in styles of policing traditionally has focused on offenses that are not legally serious and that are thus thought to provide the greatest opportunity for the exercise of discretion. The present research examined variability in police style with regard to legally serious crime, as indicated by arrest practices for Index crime offenses. Factors that lead to jurisdictional variation in legalistic style were assessed among municipal police departments in Illinois. Offense classifications that represent violent crime, property crime, and street crime were selected for analysis. Correlates of jurisdictional variation in police style were found to be the concentration of personnel in the lower ranks, police presence, and the height of the organization. The presence of minorities and type of municipal governance also were associated with jurisdictional variation in police style.