Length of paper: 1500-2000 words APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA Style and Formatting(6th Edition), (i.e., title page, abstract, reference page, double-spacing, appropriate citation formats, use of appropriate level of headings, Times New Roman 12-point font). Number of resources: Minimum of 2 resources, excluding your text. Questions to answer in paper: Do you believe the foundation of criminal justice organizations is power or authority? Does politics play a role in criminal justice organizations? Is political influence pervasive within criminal justice organizations? Describe instances where criminal justice administrators with police, courts or corrections have abused their power.

Power and authority are separate but related concepts. A manager in a criminal justice organization has authority if he or she has the right to direct the activities of others and expect them to respond with appropriate actions to attain organizational purposes. Authority most often comes from the duties and responsibilities delegated to a position holder in a bureaucratic structure. An FBI or ATF Director can order a policy change, for instance, or a police officer has the authority to arrest an offender of the law. Power is the possession of authority, control, or influence by which a person influences the actions of others, either by direct authority or by some other, more intangible means. A prime source of power is the possession of knowledge. A person with knowledge is oftentimes able to use that knowledge to directly or indirectly influence the actions of others. The authority of knowledge is often independent of levels or positions. Power can reinforce authority, and authority is one of the primary sources of power. This chapter is about power and political behavior. This is a pretty appropriate chapter to discuss given our current state of events between the Department of Justice and the public, the very people they should be serving. The Attorney General recently fired the FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe for violating the agency’s ethics code. McCabe’s action’s were first discovered by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General, and were then corroborated by the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Prior to this, Former FBI Director James Comey was fired by President Trump. Both Comey and McCabe have admittedly leaked information to the press. They both have admitted taking notes when they had meetings with the President. Comey gave his notes to a friend he stated and McCabe turned his over to the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller. Perhaps one of the most egregious examples of power and political behavior is that members of Congress and their aides have regular access to powerful political intelligence, and many have made well-timed stock market trades in the very industries they regulate. For now, the practice is perfectly legal, but some say it's time for the law to change. I mean if the average American citizen engages in Insider trading they go to jail because it is against the law; not so for members of Congress and their staffers, they are exempt. Congress also made the law that exempts them or rather shields them from prosecution. Few of them are doing it for the salary and all of them will say they are doing it to serve the public. But there are other benefits: Power, prestige, and the opportunity to become a Washington insider with access to information and connections that no one else has, in an environment of privilege where rules that govern the rest of the country, don't always apply to them. I gave you a couple of examples to get you thinking. Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” The criminal justice system has seen its fair share of abuses since its inception. These abuses in power clearly stand against the ideals of this great country. For this essay assignment I would like you to consider the following: Do you believe the foundation of criminal justice organizations is power or authority? Does politics play a role in criminal justice organizations? Is political influence pervasive within criminal justice organizations? Describe instances where criminal justice administrators with police, courts or corrections have abused their power. You will submit a minimum 1,500 to 2000 word essay (not to include an abstract, cover page, or references). Your essay will be graded via a Rubric. The Rubric serves as your Scoring Guide so make sure you follow it. To achieve a successful experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements. Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message. Length of paper: 1500-2000 words APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA Style and Formatting(6th Edition), (i.e., title page, abstract, reference page, double-spacing, appropriate citation formats, use of appropriate level of headings, Times New Roman 12-point font). Number of resources: Minimum of 2 resources, excluding your text.