Reference no: EM133326684

Case Study: Read and consider the concepts of discretion and selective enforcement. Answer and discuss the following questions related to the topic. Comment and critique one other student's post. Remember to be detailed and specific in your critique. Just agreeing and or saying "good job" is not sufficient for this part of the assignment. It is perfectly fine to disagree with each other as that is part of any discussion but do so respectfully.

Question 1: Police are dispatched a shoplifting call at a local supermarket. Store security has a woman in custody who was caught stealing baby formula and diapers. When officers arrive they discover that the woman is a single mother living out of her vehicle with two small children. Should police use discretion in this circumstance? Explain and justify your answer.
Question 2: Store security has also detained an 18-year-old teenager who skipped school and was caught stealing cigarettes. Would it be appropriate for police to formally charge the teenager with theft while not charging the single mother with theft? Explain and justify your answer.
Question 3: Imagine a police department adopted a policy of "full enforcement", meaning officers must arrest for any offense brought to their attention without regard for any discretion or consideration for the circumstances. Could such a policy work? Would such a policy cause problems? Explain your answers.