Exercising Discretion in Policing 

                Throughout this class, I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the criminal justice system and the way that it allows society to function successfully.  Through studying police, courts, and corrections, the topic of discretion has proved to be quite controversial.  Is it acceptable for a police officer to exercise discretion on the job?  At first, I was skeptical of the concept.  The more I learned about the criminal justice system, however, the more it became clear to me that often times, police officers must make decisions unique to the situation at hand, not only to be fair to those caught in bad circumstances, but also to keep the public, and themselves, safe.  Problem-solving skills are necessary in every job, and policing should be no different.

                Writing this essay proved to me that many things are subjective.  It gave me a higher respect for all those in the criminal justice system and the hard work that they do to keep society a safe place.  Additionally, it allowed me to form a different perspective on the types of decision-making that police officers must commit to.  They are not always easy to make, and though, it is not a perfect system, through researching this topic, I have found that discretion is a very necessary aspect of policing.