Crucial Role Of Perception In Criminal Justice

Elizabeth Chicoine

February 7, 2018

CRJ 310Z Z1

Test 1

TEST 1

1. Perception is defined as the ability to become aware of something through the uses of the senses. It implies that not only must you understand what is going on but that you are aware of it as well. In Chapter 1 of Heuer’s book, he mentions that “we perceive what we expect to perceive”, this plays a crucial role in how each element of perception such as past experience, professional training and cultural and organizational norms can positively and negatively impact a career in criminal justice. For example, a law enforcement officer with an excellent educational background and previous experience has had more training to help in bad situations where what to do may not be apparent.

When determining the differences between cognitive bias and implicit bias we must first look at the underlying definitions of what each one means. Implicit bias “refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect ones understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner”. In other words, implicit biases are still sub-conscientious issues and they are activated without knowing or intent. According to Heuer, cognitive biases are considered mental errors that are caused by our simplified information processing strategies. Cognitive biases are predictable and therefore are similar to optical illusions. When someone stares at a person, or painting, they start to perceive what is going on and so by making this judgement, whether it is correct or not, they are using cognitive bias to perceive the situation. When a person’s mind focuses on something and then makes a judgement, they start to perceive this to be true and this is how cognitive bias can lead to making wrong decisions because you are basing your reasoning on what you perceive to be happening then on fact. In contrast, implicit biases evolve as we grow up. They are in our sub-conscious mind as children and continue to hang around when we get older, giving us different feelings and attitudes that have been retained over the years towards different races, appearance, age, and ethnicity. They form through direct and indirect messages such as a billboard, or television show. Therefore, the difference between

When thinking about two issues that arise in law enforcement regarding implicit biases, my mind brings me to discrimination and morality, and whether this training actually works. Implicit biases are sub-conscious and learned at a very young age. We do not always understand them, and we do not necessarily know that what we think may be wrong in the eyes of the world. Training in regard to this is a good idea, but does it work long time? This has been the running question throughout the articles that we have read so far in class. It is hard for a training to change the way a person thinks, especially if their morals come from a childhood full of being told what’s wrong is right and what’s right is wrong. An eight-hour course or a week or month-long course is not going to change a lifetime of sub-conscious thoughts and feelings. This leads me to my next point that some officers discriminate. This is known because everyone does it here and there, but because they are officers, society holds them to a higher standard, even though they are humans just like you and me. For law enforcement to be able to change their bias ways, they must be aware mentally and emotionally, in every situation. Put themselves in other people’s shoes. Ask “Is what I am doing right”. Train your mind and train some more. Always be open to different situations, people, and races. The most important thing to break this chain of being bias, is to understand the significance of stereotyping, and understand