Speeding violation dispositions in relation to police officers' perception of the offenders

This study examines discretion management, the exercise of police discretion, police interactions with speeding offenders, how police decide to dispose of speeding violations, & how this might be influenced by their perceptions of the offenders' personal characteristics, including gender, age, physical appearance & attitude. In many cases, police discretion is justified; however, problems of dissention between the police & the public often arise as a result of police exercising their discretion. Since there are few formal guidelines in the area of police discretion, & since the reactions of police officers often vary based on the situation, police discretion is often viewed as an abuse of power & raises questions about the equity & efficiency of police service delivery. The overall results of the study indicate that a driver's age & attitude have an effect on police discretion in disposing of speeding violations. 1 Table, 7 References. B. Jones