NCJ Number
224945
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police & Management Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: 2008 Pages: 435-455
Date Published
2008
Length
21 pages
Annotation
In an attempt to extend current knowledge about the perceptional differences or similarities between citizens and police, this study assessed both citizens’ and police officers perceptions of neighborhood problems.
Abstract
Highlights of findings include: (1) police officers consistently rate neighborhood problems more seriously than do residents; (2) neighborhood structural characteristics, especially concentrated disadvantaged, influence both officers’ and citizen perceptions of neighborhood problems; (3) higher levels of social organization are associated with higher ratings of neighborhood problems; and (4) legitimacy of local authority shapes residents and police officers’ perceptions of neighborhood problems. Study limitations and recommendations for future research are presented and discussed. The central concern of this research study was to assess police officers’ and citizens’ perceptions of neighborhood problems. Specifically, the research was designed to (1) explore whether police and neighborhood residents viewed crime and disorder in the neighborhood differently and (2) assess the role that neighborhood structural characteristics, social organization, legitimacy of authority, and actual crime rates played in shaping these perceptions. Both interview and survey data were collected from 50 neighborhoods in a midwestern city. Tables, notes, and references