Book Review: Police Ethics: The Corruption of the Noble Cause (2nd ed.)

• Author: Thomas D. Bazley
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016806295596
• Published date: 01 December 2006
• Date: 01 December 2006
• Subject Matter: Articles

This list is useful and could have provided a common theme throughout the book. Also in

chapter 1 is a list of “Ten Guidelines for Effective Communication.” Again, this is a useful

list, and when combined with the first list would serve as an excellent outline for the

remainder of the book. Unfortunately, the authors make no attempt to fully develop the con-

cepts and ideas introduced in chapter 1. Instead, they provide kind of a smorgasbord of top-

ics related to communication but without a common theme to help organize the material.

Nowhere is the lack of organization more evident than in the structuring of the chapters.

Although not presented this way, it appeared that there were two general categoriesof mate-

rial presented. First, chapter 2, “Communicating Authority”; chapter 3, “Dealing With

Manipulation”; chapter 4, “The Rescue Triangle”; and chapter 8, “Problem Solving,” all

seem to focus on the application of effective communication skills. Chapter 5, “Listening

and Interviewing Skills”; chapter 6, “Sensitivity”; chapter 7, “Crime Victims”; chapter 9,

“Sexual Harassment Issues”; and chapter 10, “Monitoring Your Attitude,” deal with devel-

oping the skills for effective communication. The authors intertwine the chapters ignoring

the difference in focus. The result is a book that appears to meander through the material

without a clear objective.

Throughout the book, there seemed to be few substantive discussions. Generally, the dis-

cussions related to specific topic areas are substantively weak and feel more like filler than

an attempt to provide supporting details. A more comprehensive discussion on the topics

with supporting materials related to effective communication would have added signifi-

cantly to the usefulness of the book.

Finally, the authors make reference to only one published manuscript but never provide

a citation for the work. In fact, they provide no citations for referenced material and,

although not stated, the assumption would have to be that the materials are taken from their

personal and professional experiences in law enforcement and corrections.

Unfortunately, there appear to be more weaknesses to the book than strengths. I did not

feel that the book accomplished its objective as a guide to “help both recruits and experi-

enced officers develop and sharpen the verbal skills so important to modern police work.”

The writing is choppy and uncomfortable to read and often appears to be a collection of

weakly related thoughts put down on paper with a last-minute, haphazard effort to some-

how tie these thoughts together, which, I felt, was never accomplished. Coupled with a

dearth of substantive content, I found the book lacking and not very convincing.

Donald Faggiani

University of Massachusetts–Lowell

Caldero, M. A., & Crank, J. P. (2004). Police Ethics: The Corruption of the Noble Cause

(2nd ed.). Dayton, OH: Anderson.

DOI: 10.1177/0734016806295596

Many years before Caldero and Crank wrote Police Ethics: The Corruption of the Noble

Cause, a young federal agent, while being interviewed for a position with counter foreign

intelligence responsibilities, was asked to respond to the following “what would you do”

type of question:

382 Criminal Justice Review