Crisis or Crime? Role Orientation and Discretion in Emergency Communications

• In Event: Beyond the Frontlines: The Day-to-Day Realities and Decision-Making Processes among Hidden Justice System Personnel

Abstract

As the real “frontline” of the criminal justice system, communications personnel are responsible for answering emergency calls and dispatching police officers to respond to these calls. These tasks involve a significant degree of discretion that largely has gone unexamined. This study draws on interviews with more than 60 communications personnel across three U.S. counties to explore how their general role orientation shapes their decision-making processes. Preliminary findings suggest that while some communications personnel adopt a law-and-order orientation, others are more focused on assisting people in crisis. These groups differ in the aspects of their job they prioritize and in how they exercise their discretion. The findings have implications for the equitable distribution of justice.

Author

• Lee Ann Slocum, University of Missouri-St. Louis