A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

Policing Terrorism, Crime Control, and Police-Community Relations: Learning from the Israeli Experience

Abstract:
  • Explores the expanding role of police into counterterrorism actions
  • Studies the effects of counterterrorism policing on police legitimacy and community relationships
  • Provides recommendations for improving police legitimacy and effectiveness 

This timely and important work takes a critical look at the shifting roles of police, who are becoming increasingly tasked with handling terrorism threats on top of their regular responsibilities. With an unprecedented empirical study of the Israel National Police, the authors of this book examine whether this increased focus on security-related threats may come at the expense of addressing “classic” police responsibilities, such as fighting crime and dealing with local, day-to-day community problems. They also examine whether this shift has had a detrimental effect on police-community relationships and perceptions of police legitimacy, as their role changes from “service” to “suspicion.”  

Through a four-year, multi-method study , the authors of this work have examined the effects of this shifting role on a number of key areas of policing, including police effectiveness at fighting crime and police legitimacy, drawing conclusions applicable to any democratic police force. The results of the study provide a number of concrete recommendations for maintaining effectiveness and community relationships of the police, with increasing responsibilities, challenges, and limited resources.

This work will be of interest for researchers in criminology and criminal justice, particularly with a focus on police studies and counter-terrorism; police administrators; and researchers in related disciplines, such as sociology and public administration.

Publication Information

Full Citation:

Hasisi, Badi, and Tal Jonathan-Zamir, David Weisburd. 2014. Policing Terrorism, Crime Control, and Police-Community Relations: Learning from the Israeli Experience. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

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Additional Info