Abstract
Research has perennially substantiated the belief that experience is a crucial determinant of an officer’s ability to effectively
use discretion in making decisions. Officers cite experience as “the best teacher”, and police managers are likely to agree,
usually with an anecdote or two about their personal maturation experiences. This study is an attempt to investigate this
question with a bit more subtlety. In the following sections, we will: (1) explain the theory behind the discretion-experience
relationship we propose, as well as theoretical opposition to this notion, (2) hone in on the perceived importance of agency
standard operating procedures as an influence on discretion, (3) demonstrate that the relationship between officer experience
and the priority attributed to SOPs is parabolic, and (4) discuss our findings in the context of structural functional organizational
theory.
use discretion in making decisions. Officers cite experience as “the best teacher”, and police managers are likely to agree,
usually with an anecdote or two about their personal maturation experiences. This study is an attempt to investigate this
question with a bit more subtlety. In the following sections, we will: (1) explain the theory behind the discretion-experience
relationship we propose, as well as theoretical opposition to this notion, (2) hone in on the perceived importance of agency
standard operating procedures as an influence on discretion, (3) demonstrate that the relationship between officer experience
and the priority attributed to SOPs is parabolic, and (4) discuss our findings in the context of structural functional organizational
theory.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s11115-012-0192-9
- Authors
- Casey LaFrance, Department of Political Science, Western Illinois University, 424 Morgan Hall, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455, USA
- Jonathan Day, Department of Political Science, Western Illinois University, 424 Morgan Hall, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455, USA
- Journal Public Organization Review
- Online ISSN 1573-7098
- Print ISSN 1566-7170