In the twenty-first century and the threat of victimization remain a perennial concern. But whether crime is on the increase or decrease, it remains a constant in our society, and to many it is one of the most important social issues confronting our communities today. These questions or the essence of the study of policing although the police do much more than enforce the law, their role in societies is integral and preserving the American dream, whatever we perceive that to be. The enforcement of the law is one of the most significant mechanism for social control. There is no function of government that more directly controls the activities of citizens than the police. This contact's in control is consistent weather experienced through direct police-citizen contact or by the mere perception of police presence in the community. To many people the …show more content…
Department of Justice plays an important role in controlling crime through police practices, prosecution, crime prevention, and rehabilitation of offenders. Within the Department of Justice are the FBI, the DEA, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service. The terrorist attacks of 2001 necessitated some degree of reorganization with the Department of Justice. Currently, of the 65 components of the Department of Justice, those organizations having the greatest responsibility for law enforcement are the FBI, DEA, ATF, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and related agencies such as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The most visible state law enforcement agency is the state police or highway patrol agency. Historically, state police agencies were created for four reasons; to assist local police agencies, which often do not have adequate resources or training to handle their law enforcement tasks, to investigate, provide law enforcement in rural areas, and to break strikes and control labor movements. The first statewide police organization was the Texas Rangers. When created in 1835, their primary purpose was to patrol the border with