Probation Era Impact: History and Development of Policing in America

This essay examines the history of policing in America, focusing on the significant impact of the Probation Era. It discusses how policing in the early United States evolved from informal, communal methods to more structured, paramilitary organizations, influenced by factors such as population size and the frontier. The essay highlights the legal precedents established during the Probation Era, which led to changes in search-and-seizure laws, limits on police force, and interrogation practices. The courts intervened to regulate police conduct, particularly regarding unlawful searches and forced confessions. Despite these efforts, the essay concludes that the Probation Era did distract the development of policing, though the courts worked to balance law enforcement with the protection of suspects' rights. Desklib provides this essay and other resources for students.

Running head: HISTORY OF POLICING IN AMERICA 1
History of Policing in America
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HISTORY OF POLICING IN AMERICA 2
Introduction
Policing development in the United States closely followed policing development in
England. During colonies of the early days, there was two forms of policing. It involved both the
communal and informal forms of policing. It was commonly known as the watch or private for
profit policing also referred to as ”The Big Stick.”
History of Policing in America
To be precise, Policing in America was outlined by outstanding features. They ranged
from population, the bigger span of uncharted western territory and how wealth the population in
a certain territory was. The key factor that was put into consideration for policing was the
frontier since it was not settled and was kind of wild (Andreas, 2012). Initiation of law and order
was done by groups of vigilante and the citizen posse.
Larger cities are the ones that experienced structured law enforcement. In these cities
policing could be likened to the British model. It copied the structures of paramilitary
organizations, police officers in uniforms, and greater focus on crime prevention (Walker, 2010).
Eventually, following the societal technological and cultural changes there was creation of equal
alterations within policing in America.
Impact of Probation Era on the Development of American Policing
Lawful precedents established during the time of probation have remained, resulting in
betterment of search-and-seizure law. This has overcame limits on police application of force,
identification protocols for eye witness and interrogation practices (Andreas, 2012). An illegal
search in the trunk is hence protected much more than wrongful conviction or unnecessary
shooting.

HISTORY OF POLICING IN AMERICA 3
Invasive searches for alcohol in the time of probation damaged the trust of middle class
Americans in the police and welcomed a basis for regulating the conduct of the police. In 1920s
courts of the states started to effectively exclude reliable evidence got from an unlawful search.
Thus, as probation approached closure, a presidential commission revived torture to the public
inside interrogation rooms (Woodiwiss, & Hobbs, 2018). The move prompted courts to avoid
forced confessions regardless of whether this approach had led to a reliable statement.
Schemes of probation stayed more past the noisy 1920s. Police brutality and racial
tensions were greater concerns during 1960s that unlawful searches. In 1961, the American
Supreme Court enacted limits on police officers but only unlawful searches were regulated. The
1960s interrogation law basically reshaped by the Miranda ruling, made sure that suspects who
besought their rights would not be subjected to forceful techniques (Gaines & Kappeler, 2014).
Overly, the law did nothing to make there was reliable confessions to those who were subjected
to questioning. The court on realizing its decisions to reject such evidence was not received as
expected, it decided not to exclude identifications simply because they appeared out of
suggestive lineups. Maybe a bigger projects looks forward to projecting American rules of
criminal procedure on the concerns that probation era made distraction of. Most possibly
accuracy of conviction and force application by the police.
Conclusion
From the finding and the arguments in this essay is can be found out that probation era
did distract the development of policing in the American soil. However the court did its best to
intervene and bring the best out of the police force while protecting the rights of the suspects.
Nevertheless, there was no sufficient laws to ensure smooth development of policing during the
probation era.

HISTORY OF POLICING IN AMERICA 4
References
Andreas, P. (2012). Border games: Policing the US-Mexico divide. Cornell University Press.
Gaines, L. K., & Kappeler, V. E. (2014). Policing in America. Routledge.
Walker, S. (2010). Popular justice: A history of American criminal justice. Mich. L. Rev., 79,
921.
Woodiwiss, M., & Hobbs, D. (2018). Organized evil and the Atlantic Alliance: moral panics and
the rhetoric of organized crime policing in America and Britain. The British Journal of
Criminology, 49(1), 106-128.