The spoils of war: Divergent lifeworlds and identity formation among undercover /vice cops in the 'burbs.
Item
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Title
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The spoils of war: Divergent lifeworlds and identity formation among undercover /vice cops in the 'burbs.
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Identifier
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AAI3187405
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identifier
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3187405
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Creator
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Librett, Mitch.
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Contributor
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Adviser: David C. Brotherton
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Date
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2005
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Sociology, Criminology and Penology
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Abstract
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This thesis evaluates the impact of undercover service upon police officers, within the larger context of the effects of deception as a lifestyle both on the micro (individual) level and the macro (implications for a just society). The underlying theoretical framework derives primarily from the work of Erving Goffman, in that the process of identity creation is analyzed through his model of "presentation of self". Conclusions are drawn from a critical theoretical perspective.;On the micro-level, the study explores the differences between the larger police culture and the subculture of undercover/vice policing. Moreover, there is a dichotomy within the sample group itself, between the predominantly European-American "case (back-up) officers" and the exclusively Latino undercover officers. On the macro-level the study provides fresh insight to the processes that are facilitative of the development of police officers into proxies for the state, in terms of enacting race/class relations in the late modern era. Work routines and practice often differed according to the demographic character of the neighborhood; the participant/unit also faced a constant barrage of challenges to their own authority as they battled for jurisdiction with other local agencies.;The methodological framework conforms with the principles of reflexive sociological research as elaborated in the writings of Pierre Bourdieu, Loic Wacquant, Michael Burawoy, Jeff Ferrell, and Renato Rosaldo. This project is an auto-ethnography; the author is a serving police officer in another agency, thus providing a dualistic epistemic perspective.;Data collection was conducted through immersion and participation in the lived experience of a group of undercover/vice officers responsible for cross jurisdictional enforcement in a suburban county with a diverse population located in the Northeastern United States. The site was deliberately chosen to accentuate the differences between urban policing and policing outside of the major cities. Although this thesis cannot be considered rigorously scientific in the positivistic or postpositivistic sense, the observations and conclusions can be inferentially extended to the vast panorama of vice policing beyond the cities. Conclusions suggest inequities both within policing and in the outcomes their labors produce, and indicate the need to reevaluate the criminalization of drugs.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
