Conflict Policing: Policing in a Time of War

Abstract

Violent conflict, within countries and internationally, is a significant factor in many justice issues, most notably policing. Yet, despite this importance, there has been relatively little research into the policing issues that arise in relation to conflict and none that look at police behavior during conflict. This article examines the current literature on conflict and the justice issues surrounding it and suggests a realignment of research to specifically address the strong relationship between conflict, crime, and policing. The resulting research agenda, an area defined as ‘‘Conflict Policing,’’ is outlined and ways forward are suggested.

Police fairness and legitimacy across the post-communist divide in Europe

“…At the same time, due to the balkanization of countries across the continent after the fall of the Iron Curtain, police forces were implicated in ethnic divisions that left some groups more dominantly represented in law enforcement relative to others-and this may have further contributed to distrust in police. In post-conflict societies that experienced a violent transition, such as countries in former Yugoslavia, militarization and ethnic repositioning of police have been distinguishing characteristics that made law enforcement in times of peace more challenging; it also made it harder for police and the public to trust one another (Hill, 2010;Kutnjak Ivkovi c, 2009;Kutnjak Ivkovi c & Shelley, 2005).…”