The police and ‘the balance’— managing the workload within Swedish investigation units

Liljegren, Andreas, 1970 (author): Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Institutionen för socialt arbete,Department of Social Work,Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Berlin, Johan, 1975 (author): Högskolan Väst,Avdelningen för socialt arbete och socialpedagogik

Szücs, Stefan, 1964 (author): Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Institutionen för socialt arbete,Department of Social Work,Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Höjer, Staffan, 1953 (author): Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Institutionen för socialt arbete,Department of Social Work,Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

(creator_code:org_t)

2021-05-06
2021
English.
In: Journal of Professions and Organizations. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2051-8811 .- 2051-8803. ; 8:1, s. 70-85

Related links:: https://academic.oup...; show more...; https://gup.ub.gu.se...; https://doi.org/10.1...; https://urn.kb.se/re...; show less...

Abstract Subject headings

Professionals within street-level organizations are essential for the delivery of public services to citizens. However, among a number of difficult dilemmas, they have to deal with an extensive workload. The police can be seen as a good example of this; they are expected to solve most crimes, including the so-called mass crimes and the more spectacular cases that make it into media headlines, and often on a continually decreasing budget. A key regulating mechanism for investigation departments in the Swedish police is the so-called balance. The balance can be described as a basket in which they put the cases that there is a desire and potential to work on but not in the immediate term. The purpose of this article is to analyse the balance as a way of rationing the workload within the Swedish police. Working with the balance consists of two processes: limiting and buffering the workload. Limiting is the practice of reducing the work in a situation. Buffering is the process of putting some work on hold to deal with later, of which the article identifies five kinds; functional, problematic, quasi, progressive, and symbolic buffering. The exploration of ‘the balance’ contributes to our understanding of how street level organizations attempt to defend their professional jurisdictions, their well-being, and their ability to complete their duties.

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP -- Statsvetenskap -- Studier av offentlig förvaltning (hsv//swe)
SOCIAL SCIENCES -- Political Science -- Public Administration Studies (hsv//eng)
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Arbetslivsstudier (hsv//swe)
SOCIAL SCIENCES -- Other Social Sciences -- Work Sciences (hsv//eng)
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP -- Juridik -- Juridik och samhälle (hsv//swe)
SOCIAL SCIENCES -- Law -- Law and Society (hsv//eng)
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)
SOCIAL SCIENCES -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

By the author/editor: Liljegren, Andre ...; Berlin, Johan, 1 ...; Szücs, Stefan, 1 ...; Höjer, Staffan, ...

About the subject

SOCIAL SCIENCES: SOCIAL SCIENCES; and Political Scienc ...; and Public Administr ...

SOCIAL SCIENCES: SOCIAL SCIENCES; and Other Social Sci ...; and Work Sciences

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