Unit 8. Police in the usa

Практические занятия – 10 часов.

Внеаудиторная самостоятельная работа – 10 часов.

17. Аудиторная работа

Key vocabulary

contemporary – современный

counterpart - копия

to prevent crime - предотвратить преступление

pursue - преследовать

ordinance - постановление

order maintenance – поддержание порядка

deterrent effect - сдерживающий эффект

esteem - уважение

baccalaureate degree - степень бакалавра

to be responsible for - быть ответственным за

sworn officers - поклявшиеся чиновники

full-time - полный рабочий день

property - собственность

diversity - разнообразие

detention facilities - места заключения

lack - нехватка

civilian employees - гражданские служащие

I. Read the text and get ready to discuss its main points.

Police in the usa

Contemporary policemen have the same general objectives as did their counterparts of old: to protect life and property and safeguard the individual liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and to prevent crime and disorder and preserve the peace.

Policemen are given certain limited powers to pursue those objectives. Those powers are either derived from or restricted by six sources: the United States Constitution, legislation of the Congress, legislative enactments of the states, local and county ordinances, court decisions and court precedents.

The police mission involves: the prevention of criminality, repression of crime, apprehension of offenders, recovery of property, regulation of noncriminal conduct, performance of miscellaneous services. Thus, the police have three categories of functions: law enforcement, order maintenance, and community service.

The police are seeking to reduce causes of crime, to trace criminal tendencies and individuals motivated to indulge in antisocial behaviour. The certainty of arrest and prosecution has a deterrent effect, it enables society to punish offenders, to lessen the prospect of repetition by causing suspects to be incarcerated, and provides an opportunity for rehabilitation of those convicted.

Police are also involved in the enforcement of traffic and sanitary-code provisions that are only incidentally concerned with criminal behaviour. There are services peripheral to basic police duties and include, for example, the operation of detention facilities, search and rescue operations, licensing, supervising elections, staffing courts with administrative and security personnel, chauffeuring officials.

There are more than 20,000 separate law enforcement agencies in the United States. Most of them are at the local level – county, city, town, and village forces. More than 600,000 full-time law enforcement personnel, including almost 500,000 sworn officers and over 100,000 civilian employees, serve these agencies. American policing differs from that found in most other countries in its diversity of forces and lack of central coordination and command. The idea that federal and state police functions are separate is basic to the system of federalism.

The agency with the broadest range of duties is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI). It is considered by many to be the finest investigative body in the world. American policemen hold it in high esteem. The FBI is responsible for the investigation of all federal laws and for violations committed on government property. In addition the FBI's jurisdiction includes matters of internal security (espionage, sabotage, treason); bank robbery; kidnapping; extortion; interstate transportation of stolen autos, aircraft, cattle, or property; interstate transportation or transmission of wagering information¹, gambling devices, fraud against the government; violations of election law; civil rights violation; and assaulting or killing a Federal officer or the President of the United States. The FBI also operates a national crime laboratory for its use and for use by police departments at all levels of government, and publishes the monthly Law Enforcement Bulletin. The FBI collects crime statistics and publishes them in the Uniform Crime Report, and maintains a central fingerprint repository². The Bureau is engaged in the training of local police officers through the National Academy and through school conducted by traveling teams³ of agents. The FBI agents often possess Law degrees or degrees in accounting; however, applicants with baccalaureate degrees and various amounts of police and military experience are occasionally considered for appointment.

Notes:

1. wagering information – секретные сведения

2. central fingerprint repository – центральная дактилоскопическая картотека

3. traveling teams – выездные группы

Ex. 1. Say if these statements are true or false.

1. Contemporary policemen have modern general objectives that are boundless.

2. The police are seeking to reduce causes of crime.

3. There are services peripheral to basic police duties.

4. The FBI is considered to be the finest investigative body in the world.

5. The FBI is only responsible for the investigation of violations committed on government property.

6. The FBI collects crime statistics and publishes them in the Uniform Crime Report.

7. The agents of the FBI are ordinary policemen.

Ex. 2. Complete the following sentences.

1. The general objectives of contemporary policemen are ...

2. Six sources limit the powers of the policemen:

3. The police mission involves ...

4. There are services peripheral to basic police duties, they include ...

5. The FBI jurisdiction includes ...

6. The FBI agents often possess Law degrees or ...

Ex. 3. Here are the answers to some questions on the text. What are the questions?

1. Policemen are given certain limited powers to pursue the objectives.

2. The certainty of arrest and prosecution has a deterrent effect.

3. The police are also involved in the enforcement of traffic and sanitary-code provisions.

4. The agency with the broadest range of duties is the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

5. The FBI’s jurisdiction includes matters of internal security.

6. The Bureau is engaged in the training of local police officers through the National Academy.

Ex. 4. Explain and expand on the following.

1. The general objectives of old counterparts and contemporary policemen.

2. Restriction to the powers.

3. The police are seeking causes to reduce crime.

4. Peripheral services to basic police duties.

5. The FBI’s responsibilities.

6. The FBI as a national crime laboratory.

7. The FBI agents possess Law degrees.

Ex. 5. Points for discussion.

1. The Police mission in the USA.

2. The Federal Bureau of Investigation.

3. Compare the information of Texts A and B (the British and American police): a) name the differences;

b) name the common features.