NCJ Number
82733
Date Published
1981
Length
424 pages
Annotation
This report describes the activities of the Criminal Justice Assistance and Evaluation Program, (CJAEP) a program designed to increase the recruitment and placement of minority persons in law enforcement agencies, and gives recommendatrions for furthering the achievement of this goal.
Abstract
The program, originally known as the Law Enforcement Minority Manpower Project, was established in 1972 by the National Urban League with initial funding from LEAA and was terminated in November 1981. The project offered free technical assistance to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in methods of minority recruitment, retention, and promotion. During 1978-80, the project studied the retention of minorities in law enforcement agencies. Research revealed that most cities have totally inadequate equal employment opportunity plans and that their State monitoring units are ineffective. An increasing number of criminal justice agencies are recognizing the shortcomings of written tests as the criterion for choosing employees and are seeking alternatives such as the addition of an oral board with minority and female participation. It is recommended that all law enforcement agencies have equal employment opportunity programs monitored by a Federal regulatory agency and an equal employment opportunity plan to ensure opportunities for females and minorities. Legal or institutionalized barriers to criminal justice recruiting should be critically reviewed to determine their impacts. Several obsolete and irrelevant selection criteria should be eliminated, including inappropriate visual requirements, unrealistic height requirements, and the charging of fees for examinations or applications. Numerous additional recommendations, detailed descriptions of project activities, and appendixes and attachments presenting quarterly reports, forms, correspondence, and related information are provided.