Throwing the book versus cutting some slack: factors influencing the use of discretion by game wardens in Kentucky

While many studies have been done on urban police officers, very little research has been directed toward the study of rural and specialized law enforcement personnel. This paper provides a descriptive and exploratory account of factors associated with the use of discretion by a type of specialized, rural law enforcement officer: the game warden. Using qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions in a mail survey as well as in-depth interviews with 24 game wardens in the state of Kentucky, legal and extralegal factors that influence patterns of discretion are described. The extent of prior wildlife related deviance committed by game wardens themselves as youths also was examined. The data revealed widespread use of discretion by game wardens, with factors such as seriousness of the offense, prior contact with wardens, reputation as a violator, and intent of the offender playing key roles in terms of influencing patterns of officer discretion.