Militarizing American Police: The Rise and Normalization of Paramilitary Units on JSTOR

Social Problems

Description: Published quarterly for the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Social Problems tackles the most difficult of contemporary society's issues and brings to the fore influential sociological findings and theories enabling readers to gain a better understanding of the complex social environment. Areas covered by the journal include: conflict and social action; crime and juvenile delinquency; drinking, drugs, and addiction; health policy and services; race and ethnicity; and sexual behavior and politics. One of the most respected and widely read professional journals in today's social sciences, Social Problems presents accessible, relevant, and innovative articles that maintain critical perspectives of the highest quality.

Coverage: 1953-2014 (Vol. 1, No. 1 - Vol. 61, No. 4)

Moving Wall: 3 years (What is the moving wall?)

The "moving wall" represents the time period between the last issue available in JSTOR and the most recently published issue of a journal. Moving walls are generally represented in years. In rare instances, a publisher has elected to have a "zero" moving wall, so their current issues are available in JSTOR shortly after publication.
Note: In calculating the moving wall, the current year is not counted.
For example, if the current year is 2008 and a journal has a 5 year moving wall, articles from the year 2002 are available.

Terms Related to the Moving Wall: Fixed walls: Journals with no new volumes being added to the archive.; Absorbed: Journals that are combined with another title.; Complete: Journals that are no longer published or that have been combined with another title.

ISSN: 00377791

EISSN: 15338533

Subjects: Sociology, Social Sciences

Abstract

This paper examines overlooked developments in contemporary policing: the growth in the number of, and a significant shift in the character of, United States police paramilitary units (PPUs). A survey of all police departments serving cities of 50,000 people or more provides the first comprehensive national data on PPUs. Findings document a rise in the number of PPUs, an escalation in their level of activity, a normalization of these units into mainstream policing, and a direct link between PPUs and the U.S. military. These findings reflect the aggressive turn many law enforcement agencies are assuming behind the rhetoric of community and problem-oriented policing reforms.

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Militarizing American Police: The Rise and Normalization of Paramilitary Units

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