GANG MEMBERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

Gang Members in Law Enforcement



Executive Summary

Employment fills a vital need for most individuals; it provides income, social connection, and feelings of societal contribution and self worth. The content of this report will discuss that whether gang members should be employed in a particular public or private organization or not, the focus will be on the law enforcement organizations.

Gang Members in Law Enforcement

Overview

These days, with a high proportion of offenders returning to crime and prison almost immediately upon release, the prison gate is all too often seen as acting as a revolving door. (Finley 2001). Typically, the priority of governments' policies has been to focus on incarceration and punishment as society 'demands justice', but recently a shift towards rehabilitation and treatment program has emerged, as rising, unsustainable prison numbers appear to indicate that in fact 'prison doesn't work'.

A new aspect of offenders or gang member's rehabilitation that is being considered is of providing them jobs in law enforcement organization so as to use their capabilities in a positive manner.

Argument

Rehabilitation is the only justification of criminal sanctioning that obligates the state to care for an offender's needs or welfare. It can only be achieved if society is willing to punish its captives humanely and to compensate offenders for the social disadvantages that have constrained them to undertake a life in crime (Fogel 2003). This point of view is reiterated by the Combat Poverty Agency, who believe that responses to crime must be balanced in their focus on punishment on the one hand and prevention on the other. They see the need for more innovative approaches to the prevention of crime and the rehabilitation of offenders. Their research found crime to be linked with poverty and inequality. While poverty does not automatically lead to crime, there is considerable evidence which suggests that it is a key social factor in triggering criminal activity (Martinson 2003).

Law Enforcement Organization

Law enforcement organizations are the organization that ensures the prevalence of law in order through out the country.

The Law Enforcement Organization Perspective

In the law enforcement organization perspective providing employment opportunities for ex-offenders is not an easy task. Research has shown that this population is the least desirable of all disadvantaged workers (Martinson 2003), primarily due to employer concerns regarding lack of skills and experience, untrustworthiness, and fear of negligent hiring. The focus group participants shared these same concerns but were also cognizant of the fact that employment opportunities must be made available to ex-offenders who have paid their debt to society. Many were sympathetic to the difficulties faced by job-seeking gang members yet, at the same time, employers were vocal about the paramount need to protect company safety and reputation (Finley 2001).

Law Enforcement Organization have expressed unanimous desire for gang members employees with strong soft skills such as communication and interpersonal skills, and many identified hard skills as increasing marketability. Showing up on time, in appropriate attire, with good work ethic were threshold requirements (Anderson 2000), while specific training or skills ...