Decision-making and young offenders: examining the role of discretion in police judgments

Police employ a significant amount of discretion when dealing with juvenile offenders. Specifically, officers often have to decide whether to issue an informal warning, a formal warning, or apprehend a juvenile offender. The decision may depend on various extra-legal influences such as an officer’s experience, perceptions, attitudes and beliefs. The dynamics surrounding these discretionary decisions deserve examination given research suggesting they may be subject to cognitive biases. This paper presents data from Western Australian police officers’ reports on incidents involving juvenile offenders. The reports include information regarding specific reasons for the action taken and the importance assigned to them. Results indicate consistencies. The data are discussed in terms of their input into structuring discretionary decision making.