Civila utredare inom polisen: en rättsociologisk studie om dynamiken mellan rättsregler och sociala normer i den polisiära professionen.

Sammanfattning: In autonomous sections within the police, civilian investigators handle crimes, side by side, with police officers. Despite legal restrictions and organizational obstacles, civilian investigators have gradually moved towards the police profession. This aspect has affected legal and social norms and the practice of the police. The main purpose of this Bachelor thesis is to examine which legal and social norms that affect the practice of civilian investigators. Furthermore, the significance of the tensions between legal and social norms as well as the entrance of civilian investigators to the police will be examined. In order to find answers to the research questions qualitative interviews with civilian investigators and people working in their propinquity, have been conducted. With interviews combined with a Theoretical Framework of norms and professions, I have created an understanding of the social context, in which civilian investigators work. On the basis of Literature review, Theoretical Framework and interviews, my findings show that civilian investigators have been, and still are, opposed within the police authority. However this seems to be a changing norm and civilian investigators are generally accepted within the police. The autonomy of the sections form common norms which tend to dominate legal norms. Therefore civilian investigators occasionally do work they have no remit to do. At the same time organizational obstacles, such as legal restrictions, unfair salaries and no proper career structures, create norms that separate civilian investigators from police officers. These structures affect civilian investigators negatively and complicate their entrance to the police profession.