Amazon.com description: Product Description: A balanced review of the most controversial issues in contemporary law enforcement! Alpert and Dunham offer readers a well- priced volume that studies the frameworks in which the police function and provides information on how to understand and improve policing. They also offer readers a wide variety of career options available in the field of policing. The Third Edition builds upon the solid foundation of the successful previous editions to give readers a realistic overview of policing. The purpose is to bridge the gap between incomplete media portrayals and lucid facts about the multidimensional, often challenging functions of policing. The authors integrate research, policy, and practical observations in their discussions of relevant and interesting issues. The beginning chapters underscore the historical presence of the community-based philosophy. While later chapters on police organization and administration, police socialization, and styles of policing highlight this philosophy, other perspectives are presented for comparison. The up-to-date coverage of selection and training, deviance, the hazards of police work--including assaults and occupational stress--combines with important information about minority hiring, the use of force, police pursuits, and litigation against the police, revealing to readers a complete and accurate examination of the policing occupation.