TY - JOUR

T1 - The Moral and Emotional World of Police Informants

AU - Loftus, Bethan

AU - Bacon , Matthew

AU - Skinns, Layla

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - The global pattern of implementing proactive policing to address crime and insecurity continues to drive undercover techniques, including the deployment of police informants. Our aim in this article is to reflect upon research on informants policing, setting out a more comprehensive agenda that appreciates the moral significance and power dynamics at play. Our starting point is that this practice embodies immense moral and emotional tension, both for the police officer and the informant. However, these deeper aspects have been largely underestimated by scholars. Research can garner new insights by conceptualizing the tactic in terms of vulnerability, morality and emotional labour.

AB - The global pattern of implementing proactive policing to address crime and insecurity continues to drive undercover techniques, including the deployment of police informants. Our aim in this article is to reflect upon research on informants policing, setting out a more comprehensive agenda that appreciates the moral significance and power dynamics at play. Our starting point is that this practice embodies immense moral and emotional tension, both for the police officer and the informant. However, these deeper aspects have been largely underestimated by scholars. Research can garner new insights by conceptualizing the tactic in terms of vulnerability, morality and emotional labour.

KW - informants

KW - vulnerability

KW - emotions

KW - morals

U2 - 10.1177%2F0032258X221081668

DO - 10.1177%2F0032258X221081668

M3 - Article

VL - 96

SP - 355

EP - 373

JO - The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles

JF - The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles

SN - 0032-258X

IS - 3

ER -