Snitch Work in Western New York

             There is an overabundance of snitches in western New York and the tattle-tales fall into categories that encompass drug addicts, vagrants and other people who are of very low socioeconomic status, individuals with low intelligence quotients and mental illnesses, people who are desperate to get out of trouble, and civilians who are turned into informants without even being told that they are participating in such actions (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  These categories can be described in four generalized titles; such as drug addicts/vagrants/other poor people, mentally ill persons, individuals with low levels of intelligence, and citizens who perform snitch work without knowing that they are doing so.  All levels of law enforcement in the area engage in using informants to maintain their positions and acquire information to build cases and annoy people (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  The work happens more often than many people think and the so-called clandestine activities are being used non-stop because of the transition from person-to-person contact by law enforcers to electronic surveillance (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  In other words, snitch work in the western part of New York is relied on because police officers do not have to have much contact with suspects, witnesses, victims, and human beings in general when performing law enforcement-based processes, nor do these law enforcers have high crime rates or seriously heinous activities occurring in the area – this is not because of the efforts involved with crime control in the region.  Moreover, the term “law enforcement-based processes” should be understood not only as a method to investigate criminal activities but, again, to also harass individuals who law enforcers do not like.  With the categories that are above-mentioned, this piece will concentrate on detailed descriptions of the snitch work and the illegalities that arise because of the lethargic and unusual behaviors by the jurisdiction’s law enforcers.

            Beginning with drug addicts, vagrants, and other poor people, these informants are typically abused by law enforcers both physically and mentally (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Specifically, law enforcers will take advantage of their living situations – or lack of – and lifestyle choices and provide incentives that include not arresting them or providing some small gift that will briefly make their lives better (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  The incentives range from giving these snitches food, illegal drugs, alcohol, small amounts of money, and promises that they will be able to eventually stop doing what they are doing after a person of interest is arrested and convicted (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Typically, this does not happen and the used snitches end up becoming abused until they can no longer provide law enforcers with information that is desired (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  It should be noted that many of these people are in desperate need of help and the law enforcers never provide any longitudinal assistance that would allow for these informants to live a healthy lifestyle in general (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Law enforcers in Western New York are, essentially, using poor people because they (law enforcers) know that these individuals can be easily thrown to the wayside if there is any negative attention brought about because of the abuse – which allows for easy cover-ups about any of the terrible practices (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014). 

            People with low intelligence quotients are used for obvious reasons and are able to be instructed to do something because of their lack of questioning about the work that is being presented to them (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Law enforcers routinely lie about situations and know that these falsehoods will not be questioned by the selected snitch and that if any other person(s) does step-in to say something then the low intelligence of an informant can be used as an excuse to deny any wrongdoings by the law enforcers (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Once more, this is an abuse that is not only illegal but also extremely inappropriate when properly thought about and discussed.  In sum, law enforcers are using people with learning disabilities because of their lack of ethics and adherence to the legal system’s methods for establishing probable cause to launch an investigation, arrest a suspect, and acquire a conviction (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Gratuities for these informants are good-natured speeches and hardly include any serious incentives that would benefit the persons with learning disabilities (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014). 

            Individuals with mental illnesses are used to perform similar activities as the people with low intelligence quotients and are provided with little benefits for their snitch work in Western New York as well.  Police officers will locate people who suffer from an array of mental illnesses because they are also easily coerced into doing and saying something that will help law enforcers and not produce much flack from the public or legal system in general if the activities are discovered (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  More precisely, law enforcers use an individual with mental illness for annoyances and criminal investigations, have them provide intelligence and, in turn, provide small incentives that includes assistance with housing, food, employment, personal goals, educational endeavors, small amounts of money, and positive mental reinforcement (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Government assistance is typically used as a method to have informants with mental illnesses conform to the requests by the law enforcers in the area, yet much of the assistance would be given without the so-called help from law enforcers – which demonstrates the unusual abuse by the investigators in western New York.  Many of the annoyances and criminal investigations that these snitches help with are minor offenses and centered on political-legal activists that criticize government-based operations (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014). 

            The last category – civilians who are turned into informants without even knowing their role – is a process that brings more serious questions of integrity toward the law enforcers in the specific jurisdiction (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Specifically, these procedures include feeding a citizen a story so that particular feelings are acquired and the citizen feels obligated to help law enforcers in the jurisdiction.  Many of the stories are mostly false or exaggerated and, in turn, can be extremely dangerous for the citizens who are participating in the unknown snitch work (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  More specifically, law enforcers in the western New York area are known for acquiring information for targeted individuals by contacting people who are directly and indirectly associated with the targeted person and asking individuals to tell them about the person of interest’s behaviors, conversations, and known professional and recreational activities (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Again, some of these inquires are not for criminal investigations and include acquiring information so that harassing endeavors can be conducted because of a disliking toward a person of interest (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  This is illegal and, in many cases, there is no probable cause to initiate any type of inquiry (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014). 

            In conclusion, the law enforcers in western New York have been utilizing these types of snitches for many years and many of the tactics are not only illegal, but also a waste of tax payers’ dollars and have minor results that would benefit society.  Moreover, many of the alleged investigations do not include criminal activities and simply include abuses of power that go unchecked (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  This jurisdiction lacks serious criminal activities and, therefore, the law enforcers engage in a frenzy of intelligence gathering to look proactive in their profession (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Attempting to find the next big case or cause minor disturbances in a person’s life has been ongoing for such a long duration that the practices have also become taught processes to new hires in the street-level law enforcement field (Bennett & Hess, 2004, 2007; Dodds, 2008; Rich, 2012; Werner, 2014).  Since the area’s law enforcers are unable to solidify their number of employees and expenditures in an honest fashion these rogue tactics are, in turn, harming the public and, again, tax dollars are being spent on useless actions that could be implemented in a much better manner toward other social issues within western New York.  Finally, there are other forms of informant work, but the categories in this piece represent the majority of the snitching activities in Western New York.  

            To hell with snitches and these bogus law enforcement practices! 

References:

Bennett, W. W., & Hess, K. M.  (2004).  Criminal investigation (7^th ed.).  Belmont, CA:

            Thomson Wadsworth.

Bennett, W. W., & Hess, K. M.  (2007).  Criminal investigation (8^th ed.).  Belmont, CA:

            Thomson Wadsworth. 

Dodds, E. J.  (2008).  I'll make you a deal:  How repeat informants are corrupting the criminal

justice system and what to do about it.  William and Mary Law Review, 50(3), 1063-

1104. 

Rich, M. L.  (2012).  Lessons of disloyalty in the world of criminal informants.  American

            Criminal Law Review, 49(3), 1493-1539. 

Werner, A. C.  (2014).  What's in a name?  Challenging the citizen-informant doctrine.  New

York University Law Review, 89(6), 2336-2380.