Police: An Agenda for the 80's

Abstract

Arguing that the police field suffers from excessively narrow frames of reference and perspectives, this paper asserts that a top priority for the 1980s police agenda must be on establishing a broader perspective for the development of theory and study of policing and explores the implications of those values and trends which the author contends will shape policing for the remainder of the 20th century, identified as (1) demographic changes, (2) the diminishing quantity of fossil fuels, (3) the accelerating rate of monetary inflation, (4) rapid developments in technology (5) changing attitudes toward the acceptance of a conflict model for achieving social change objectives, (6) continuing democratization and equalization of human society and its institutions, (7) increased danger and damaging consequences from natural and manmade disasters, and (8) need for higher levels of knowledge and skill for performing future police responsibilities.