INSTRUCTION: The links below take you to video clips taken from Reel Justice, which is a unique movie that is centered on a sexual assault that takes place in a college town. It allows students to explore course concepts and terminology in a relevant and meaningful context. Movie segments are augmented by a robust array of review and assessment features. Students can explore a wide variety of criminal justice issues firsthand including criminal responsibility, theories of crime causation, civil vs. criminal law, police roles, functions, and ethics, the courts, and more. Master course concepts more completely than they could by just reading any text. Read the introduction, answer the following questions below and discuss your answers with your classmates and instructor.

Chapter 7 Video 1: Dial-up (518.0K)

Chapter 7 Video 1: Broadband (4247.0K)

7.1. The public has a lot of misperceptions about law enforcement. What are the most common and why? Can police departments do anything to dispel the negative misperceptions? Have you learned about any functions or duties of law enforcement in the textbook that have surprised you?

Chapter 7 Video 2: Dial-up (678.0K)

Chapter 7 Video 2: Broadband (5583.0K)

7.2. A local man, Drew, is perpetually "fixing his car" as a suspected cover-up for drug sales. The only thing Officer Jordan can do is to drive by and keep an eye on his activities, perhaps causing him to suspend his business temporarily. Is this a worthwhile use of police time and resources?

Chapter 7 Video 3: Dial-up (597.0K)

Chapter 7 Video 3: Broadband (4913.0K)

7.3. In this segment, Officer Jordan opts to employ a "watchman's style" of policing. Do you think this is an effective way to reduce crime? Is this not "real police stuff," as his ride-along suggests?

Think about a cause that is important to you – maybe it's protesting against corporate profiteering, saving the environment, preventing animal testing, whatever it may be. Now, imagine that something so gravely unjust is being done that you organize a movement so you can finally be heard and take some action. If an officer came to you to try to diffuse a difficult situation and prevent crime and unrest in the community, would you listen? What if he was very kind and polite, like Officer Jordan? What if he wasn't as understanding, and threatened your organization in not so many words? (See Chapter 8.) How would you react?