Citation

Gilling D. Policing (Oxford) 2019; 13(3): 263-270.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/police/pax037

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

On the basis of a brief historical sweep of developments in crime prevention in England and Wales, and of an examination of some specific examples of contestation, this article presents the argument that crime prevention is in essence a political matter, notwithstanding the desires of many who would wish to understand it in purely technical or scientific terms. It is suggested that practitioners need to appreciate and engage with the political nature of crime prevention in order to succeed in their pursuit of a path towards effective practice.

Operational and organizational stressors are characteristic components of police work. Police culture has historically resisted acknowledging the need to accept interventions in response to the operational stress injuries resulting from the frequent exposure to workplace trauma. Similarly, few police leaders have effectively managed to change the police culture to one accepting and receptive to members seeking and accessing help for operational stress injuries. In this review, the authors discuss various sources of operational and organizational stress in policing, identify a number of promising wellness practices and strategies, and argue for the need for strong leadership among police executives to lead their organizations through the changes necessary to produce a police organization that is healthy and resilient.

© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press

Language: en