Abstract

This study examines the gatekeeping role that public safety communication specialists (911 calltakers and dispatchers) play in the criminal justice footprint using systematic observations of one of the largest public communication centers in the U.S. Findings indicate that public safety communications professionals can play a significant role in initially shaping the criminal justice footprint, and can help to prevent that footprint from growing. However, organizational constraints, liabilities, and rules, as well as the expectations and beliefs of citizens and activities of police officers, can also inhibit this gatekeeping function. Recent assertions that citizen calls for public safety services might be easily diverted or prevented to reduce this footprint rely on significant changes to several policies, practices, and assumptions that have yet to be easily realized.

摘要

这项研究通过对美国最大的公共传播中心之一的系统观察，检验了公共安全传播专家（911呼叫者和调度员）在刑事司法足迹中的守门作用。调查结果表明，公共安全通信专业人员可以在以下方面发挥重要作用：初步塑造刑事司法足迹，并可以帮助防止足迹增长。但是，组织上的限制，责任和规则，以及公民的期望和信念以及警务人员的活动，也可能会阻碍这种守门职能。最近关于公民要求公共安全服务的主张很容易被转移或阻止，以减少这种足迹，这取决于对若干政策，做法，