Introduction
The so-called six pillars of policing are the principles each American police department has to follow. Notably, building legitimacy and trust should be the priority because, without them, no effective cooperation is possible. Therefore, the policies and oversight that officers perform should remain within the humanistic framework (Schoenle, 2017). Another pillar is technology, in particular, social media, whose active use enables closer connection to the public and, consequently, more effective community policing, which enables reducing crime. Finally, the education and physical well-being of officers are essential as well; the lack of either or both can make them unable to respond quickly and adequately to changing circumstances.
Sticking to the six pillars is essential for enabling procedural justice. It is the primary step toward criminal justice reform (Schoenle, 2017). The two main measurements of fairness, notably, are our voice, which means providing everybody with the right to speak, and control, which is synonymic to influence and power (Pollock, 2018). These two are possible on the conditions of trust and legitimacy, respectively, which represent the first, fundamental pillar. In addition, officers need to be unprejudiced and respectful (Pollock, 2018). This calls for education and physical well-being because otherwise, people may lack the knowledge or energy to behave as appropriate.
Social Justice
Social justice, in the simplest terms, means a situation where no discrimination against any group of people occurs. It is also referred to as fairness; multiple social initiatives see reaching it as their mission (Walters & Jasperson, 2022). The four underlying principles, without which justice is impossible, are human rights, access to services, participation in social life, and equity (Soken-Huberty, n.d.). They, in turn, rest on everybody’s basic right to express his or her opinion, which, therefore, has to be commonly available. In other words, to enable social justice, the voice of each individual should be heard.
Procedural justice assesses the ways the police and other authorities interact with the population. Notably, they have to address everybody in a maximally respectful manner; no humiliation or pressure is acceptable (“Procedural justice,” n.d.). Another parameter that has to be as high as possible is the accuracy of decisions so that no criminals avoid punishment and no innocent suffer (Pollock. 2018). Meanwhile, treating all people with dignity paves the way for equity, and to make an adequate decision, it is critical to give a voice to all of the involved. As these two nuances are the components of social justice, the assumption that procedural justice includes it is true.
Code of Ethics
Regarding the national code of ethics for the police, the Association of Social Workers includes the following points in it. Primarily, no racist views are acceptable; this is integral to the concept of human dignity, which is the key reference point (Goff et al., 2019). As the role of the police is to increase the trust between the government and the population, the well-being of the latter should be their priority. One of the ways to ensure it is maximal assistance to the disadvantaged; it favors equity as well. It is essential, however, to avoid unnecessary activity because it kills a positive attitude.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police offers another list of points to include in a professional code of ethics. The primary is fairness; officers have to fulfill their duties, whatever identity an existing or potential offender has. Otherwise, it is essential to serve communities adequately, while service is an essential function of the police (Pollock, 2018). A noteworthy aspect is that it should happen in strict accordance with the law; officers are not allowed to make their own rules. Finally, their behavior has to be exemplary because the population relies on them and follows them. The essence of this ethical code lies in enabling justice for all groups of people with no oppression or discrimination.
Change Needed
As mentioned, fairness and human dignity should be the key reference points for the police. Treating all community members with equal respect favors trust and, consequently, can improve public safety. Force methods, meanwhile, may be useful under certain circumstances but are not universal because they breed crime (“US: 14 recommendations,” 2020). In addition, many of the existing problems root in social issues, such as homelessness, drug addictions, and others. Serving communities, therefore, should not come down to law enforcement, but be multidimensional, focusing on social problems as the source of crime.
Technical modernization of the police is necessary as well. Deloitte (n.d.) proclaims that the more active use of IT can improve the effectiveness of their performance, primarily by transforming data analysis. Artificial intelligence, for instance, can collect and examine large arrays of information rapidly. This allows for more evidence than otherwise, which, in turn, adds to public safety due to the timely detection and, in some cases, prevention of crimes. In addition, it may be relevant to design and expand local networks, so that the population has a closer connection with officers and can report unwanted occasions directly.
Pillars of Justice
Criminal justice rests on five components, or pillars, that form a chain and work in cooperation for public safety. Law enforcement, where the police belong, serves communities to minimize the offense. In case it occurs, the second pillar, prosecution, investigates the situation and indicts the suspect, while attorneys defend him or her; a dispute takes place (Cook, 2017). The body that has the right to resolve it is the court, to which both sides have to present their evidence. If the acquisition proves to be valid, the pillar of correction gains the responsibility for the social re-education of the criminal to reduce the probability of further misdeeds.
To have legal force, the pillars need to ensure trust and legitimacy, the fundamentals of appropriate policing. First, as mentioned, the police should enforce the law on everybody with no prejudice. In addition, the presumption of innocence tells that a person cannot be considered guilty without sufficient evidence. The prosecution, therefore, does not make proclamations, but only assumptions and everybody has a right to an attorney who will defend him or her professionally (Cook, 2017). The court should remain neutral during the dispute and make a decision free of bias. Finally, the correction system needs to be respectful and avoid humiliating the prisoners. Not following these principles can worsen the public attitude toward the criminal justice system and, consequently, kill trust in the government.
References
Cook, J. (2017). Pillars of justice. The Journal Gazette. Web.
Deloitte. (n.d.). The future of policing. Web.
Goff, Ph. A., Hinton, E., Meares, T. L., Sarnoff, C. N., Tyler, T. R. (2019). Re-imagining public safety: Prevent harm and lead with the truth. Yale Law School, Center for Policing Equity.
Pollock, J. M. (2018). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice (10th Ed.). Cengage Learning.
Procedural justice. (n.d.). Trust & Justice. Web.
Schoenle, G. W. (2017). Progressive policing in the 21st century: A blueprint for change. Campus Law Enforcement Journal, 47(3), 16-19.
Soken-Huberty, E. (n.d.). What does social justice mean? Human Rights Careers. Web.
US: 14 recommendations for fundamental police reform. (2020). Web.
Walters, T., & Jasperson, H. D. (2022). Social justice. Investopedia. Web.