NCJ Number
51261
Date Published
1977
Length
161 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF AN 80-HOUR TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE CRIME PREVENTION-RELATED ATTITUDES OF 311 POLICE OFFICERS ATTENDING THE TEXAS CRIME PREVENTION BASIC SCHOOL IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE 2-WEEK PROGRAM OF CLASSROOM AND FIELD INSTRUCTION IN THE BASICS OF CRIME PREVENTION THEORY AND METHODS WAS CONDUCTED AT VARIOUS SITES IN TEXAS. PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED 98 AGENCIES, INCLUDING MUNICIPAL POLICE AGENCIES AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS, PRIMARILY IN TEXAS. TRAINEES COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES BEFORE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND AGAIN 90 DAYS LATER. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DESIGNED TO MEASURE ATTITUDES PERTINENT BOTH TO THE OFFICERS' VIEW OF THEIR OWN ABILITY TO PRACTICE CRIME PREVENTION, AND TO THE OFFICERS' WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITIZENS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM RESULTED IN POSITIVE ATTITUDINAL CHANGES RELATIVE TO THE OFFICERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR OWN ABILITY, THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME PREVENTION, AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF CITIZENS' ABILITY TO PRACTICE CRIME PREVENTION. THERE WAS NO POSITIVE CHANGE IN ATTITUDE RELATIVE TO PERCEPTION OF CITIZENS' WILLINGNESS TO PRACTICE CRIME PREVENTION, AND CITIZEN ABILITY GENERALLY WERE POSITIVE BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER TRAINING, WHEREAS ATTITUDES ABOUT CITIZEN WILLINGNESS WERE NEGATIVE BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER TRAINING. THIS FINDING POINTS TO A MAJOR WEAK POINT IN THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND PROVIDES A FOCAL POINT FOR UPGRADING CONTENT. IN GENERAL, THE TRAINEES' RESPONSES INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ARE POINTED OUT, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTER RESEARCH IN THE EVALUATION OF CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA, A COPY OF THE STUDY INSTRUMENT, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)