Police and Policing in the UK: Governance and Accountability

The UK's policing is going through a historic shift, with cost-cutting, privatization, outsourcing, and downsizing of core functions. This book examines the diverse issues and challenges in state policing in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, including devolution, fiscal crisis, Scottish independence, organized crime, and terrorism. It is a valuable resource for students, academics, and researchers interested in criminal justice, public policy, and state policing.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The UK policing landscape is undergoing a historic transformation, marked by significant changes in its nature, organization, and purpose. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, efforts to achieve cost and efficiency savings will undoubtedly impact the size of the police force. However, alongside these measures, plans for increased privatization, outsourcing, and downsizing of core police functions pose additional challenges ahead. Analyzing the complex issues at hand is further complicated by the diverse and inconsistent practices among different local police forces across the UK, rendering generalizations challenging.

This book delves into the fragmented landscape of UK policing, exploring how state policing in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is evolving differently on various issues but converging on others. It addresses a range of critical topics, including:

The impact of devolving criminal justice and policing powers to Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The consequences of the fiscal crisis and coalition austerity measures on policing.
Debates surrounding the potential outcomes of Scottish independence.
The threat posed by organized crime and international terrorism.
The ongoing peace process in Northern Ireland and concerns about the dissident republican threat.

This groundbreaking book is the first to comprehensively examine the diverse range of issues and challenges facing policing across the UK. It is an essential resource for students, academics, and researchers interested in the criminal justice system, public policy, and state policing. By providing a comprehensive analysis of these critical topics, this book contributes to our understanding of the evolving dynamics of UK policing and its implications for the future.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780415858731