NCJ Number
4938
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 39 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1972) Pages: 20-26
Date Published
1972
Length
25 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SLOW TO CHANGE DUE TO ITS TRADITIONAL COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO DECISIONS.
Abstract
THE STUDY, USING A QUANTIFYING RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, MAKES FOUR HYPOTHESES ABOUT THE TRADITION-BOUND RELUCTANCE TO CHANGE FOUND IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. FIRST, THERE ARE DEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES ACTING UPON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT AFFECT THE RELATIVE SPEED OF CHANGE. SECOND, THERE ARE VARIATIONS IN THE RELATIVE SPEED WITH WHICH POLICE AGENCIES ADOPT NEW PROGRAMS, THIRD, SOME AGENCIES ADOPT NEW PROGRAMS MORE RAPIDLY THAN OTHERS BECAUSE OF THE COMBINATION OF FAVORABLE CONDITIONS IN TERMS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, AND FOURTH, INNOVATIONS SPREAD AMONG POLICE AGENCIES BY EMULATION OF PROGRAMS FROM SIMILAR AGENCIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.