Targeting Discretion Model: A Guide for Scholars and Practitioners

by Casey LaFrance

Overview

Within the pages of Targeting Discretion: A Guide for Command Staff, Front Line Officers, and Students, Dr. Casey LaFrance introduces his Target Model of Discretion, intended for utilization when addressing the multifaceted nature of discretion within the police force. The Target Model of Discretion is designed for use in practical, real-life situations that occur in law enforcement as well as by scholars who wish to analyze the factors which influence staff and officers when implementing discretion. Based on extensive consultations with individuals within various police agencies, LaFrance developed the Target Model of Discretion to help identify and improve communication issues between agency rank levels. Targeting Discretion goes beyond scholarly research and theory to offer step-by-step instructions and hypothetical scenarios for critical thinking exercises, opening a dialogue that can continue to develop beyond the text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781940771090
Publisher:	University Press of North Georgia
Publication date:	04/15/2014
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.29(d)

About the Author

Dr. Casey LaFrance is an associate professor of Political Science at Western Illinois University. His research focuses on local law enforcement decision-making, particularly among county sheriffs and municipal police chiefs. When he is not adventuring with his family, Dr. LaFrance continues to research discretionary decision-making in law enforcement.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Research on Discretion and the Need for the Target Model
Chapter 2: Professional vs. Bureaucratic Accountability in Local Law Enforcement Management Decision-Making
Chapter 3: Visiting the Firing Range: Case Studies Using the Target Model of Discretion
Chapter 4: Do as I Say! Or, Do as I Say, Not as I Have Done!: Self-Reported Accountability Priorities for County Sheriffs and Their Subordinates
Chapter 5: Using the Target Model of Discretion to Evaluate Intra-Agency Communication: A Guide for Managers and Scholars
Chapter 6: Hands-on Tools for Discussion, Team Building, and Planning
Chapter 7: Target Practice: Improving the Target Model and Addressing Its Limitations
Appendix A: Sample CALEA Written Directives
Appendix B: The Target Model of Discretion
References

Editorial Reviews

"Targeting Discretion helps de-mystify the communication disconnect that leads to that disparity, and is a valuable tool in bringing each view closer in line with the other."
Israel D. Segers, Assistant Chief, Alto Georgia Police Department

"LaFrance delivers a new way to think about discretion. . . managers will find it useful for enhancing communication between rank levels in police organizations."
Paul F. Day, Detective, Virginia Beach, VA Police (Retired)

From the Publisher