Between art and technique: Police discretion in criminal investigation. The case of the Airport Security Police in Argentina

Abstract

The article examines the role of police discretion in criminal investigation in one of the federal polices in Argentina. The methodology combines quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection and analysis. Our preliminary findings show that judicial operators and the public agenda influence the quantity and types of crime investigated. On the other hand, we show that police discretion is perceived as a know-how necessary for efficient crime investigation by police and judicial actors; this know-how is also perceived as a mix of art and technique. We believe that the results of the investigation contribute to the informed debate on the design and implementation of improvements in the crime investigation system at the federal level in Argentina.