Problem
Community policing, and the different approach it takes to policing from what might be termed the "traditional" model. While no police department has fully committed to Community Policing, there has been some movement in that direction. It is probably fair to say that, in no area of policing, is developing better community relations more important than dealing with juvenile delinquency.
But is the goal of developing these relationships between the police and the community realistic? Can the police and the community be truly effective in forming a partnership to reduce juvenile delinquency? It would seem that to be successful, such a relationship would depend largely on the ability of the individual police officer to "get on the same page" as the juvenile.
What is the role of the individual police officer in his or her attempts to establish a workable rapport with kids on the street? How might the officer go about preventing, investigating, and processing juvenile crime in such a way to reduce recidivism? Is this in fact a realistic expectation? Why or why not?