The Relationship Between Serious Crime and Arrest Rates

Arrests are determined by the seriousness of the crime in relationship to the complainant and suspect. Some arrests are based on evidence found linking a suspect, the relationship between the suspect and victim, and what the victim wants the police to do in regards to the suspect. The arrest rate is higher when there is a stranger crime committed as opposed to the victim and stranger knowing each other. However, many times arrests are more likely due to the demeanor of the suspect and the victim. The similarities between the two state that disrespect toward the police is more likely to result in an arrest. The close relationship between the victim and offender is also a great likelihood of arrest. Also, both stated the reasoning for arrest is to control crime. Both suggest that hostility toward the police can lead to an immediate arrest, not just the offender but the victim as well. If one's demeanor is hostile than they are more likely to be arrested.

Many times since police are constantly preoccupied with the threat of potential violence they respond to vague incidents of danger by certain appearances or characteristics of an individual. Police are trained to be aware of unclear incidents but may not always act on them due to the vagueness of the situation or the concern from citizens. Police officers need to have this sort of awareness of unpredictable or incidents that don't appear to be dangerous. Criminals will do things vaguely so as to not be recognized by the general public, however, a police officer looking at detailed behavior can pick up on these seemingly normal behaviors.

Law enforcement and order maintenance is either police invoked or citizen invoked. Citizen invoked means a citizen calls a crime or disorder to the police and wants something done about it. Police invoked means the police take a proactive step to prevent a crime or disorder. Police try to divide their time between focusing on "victimless" crimes and serious crimes. Sometimes police invoked law enforcement focuses or involves "victimless" crimes, whereas, citizen invoked focuses on more serious crimes. Police invoked order maintenance focuses on minor disruption or crimes like drunkenness and citizen invoked focuses on citizen complaints of disorder.

In police and citizen invoked law enforcement there is an initiative to control crime or activities that can lead to crime by arresting those committing crimes. With police and citizen invoked order maintenance it is the same concern - to control crime by trying to prevent crime. However, many times in a citizen invoked situation it is up to the police officer to make an arrest based on the citizen's complainant, so due process may not be applied to the victim or complainant because the officer may not feel there is a need to make an arrest. Also, what the officer or citizen may perceive to be a crime inducing behavior may not lead to crime or prevent crime, therefore, any efforts to make an arrest may not lead to controlling crime.

An example of a police invoked situation to prevent crime is with off-duty police officers. The mentality of many off-duty officers to do something when they see a crime being committed can cause them to be in violent situations. There are no back-up plans, no back-up officers on the scene so an off-duty officer may be more likely to take charge and defend himself and others around him by retaliating and shooting a suspect. The idea that officers "protect and serve" continues even when an officer is off-duty. Again, the symbolic assailant theory is adopted and learned by police officers, so off-duty officers still pay attention and look for vague behaviors or characteristics and are more likely to recognize these incidents and act on them quickly.