Thanks for taking the criticism of the last post in this series to heart. It was intended for the best of purposes and I think you are outlining an interesting program for police reform.
I was struck by the consistent theme of professionalization in the list of various agencies, institutions, investigators, and forces you describe as potentially taking over the current duties of 'police' in contemporary America. In part V of your series you identified a number of problems with the police unions, especially recruitment and retention. I feel like the story you tell of how the police have become a power political force blocking reform is a story that could be told for any profession. I'm trying to think through how we can accomplish some of the functions you describe without having to (re)create a new professional grouping.
For example, your mediation agency (3), seems to be a function that in the past has been performed by community members of various stripes. It seems like you are describing the role of a judge. But today that role has become subsumed in the 'justice system' which is fed by excessive criminalization and bad incentives throughout the entire political-economic structure.
Professionalization, bureaucracy, standards, etc. all feel like technocratic solutions that have been tried and seem to be failing. Is it just a failure to give these institutions enough resources to do the job? Is there some deeper cultural thematic that makes us devalue these services? Or is it just the case that institutions inevitably become sclerotic?
Thanks for taking the criticism of the last post in this series to heart. It was intended for the best of purposes and I think you are outlining an interesting program for police reform.
I was struck by the consistent theme of professionalization in the list of various agencies, institutions, investigators, and forces you describe as potentially taking over the current duties of 'police' in contemporary America. In part V of your series you identified a number of problems with the police unions, especially recruitment and retention. I feel like the story you tell of how the police have become a power political force blocking reform is a story that could be told for any profession. I'm trying to think through how we can accomplish some of the functions you describe without having to (re)create a new professional grouping.
For example, your mediation agency (3), seems to be a function that in the past has been performed by community members of various stripes. It seems like you are describing the role of a judge. But today that role has become subsumed in the 'justice system' which is fed by excessive criminalization and bad incentives throughout the entire political-economic structure.
Professionalization, bureaucracy, standards, etc. all feel like technocratic solutions that have been tried and seem to be failing. Is it just a failure to give these institutions enough resources to do the job? Is there some deeper cultural thematic that makes us devalue these services? Or is it just the case that institutions inevitably become sclerotic?