NCJ Number
68964
Date Published
1972
Length
265 pages
Annotation
A THEORETICAL MODEL OF POLICE-CITIZEN INTERACTION IS CONSTRUCTED WHICH CATEGORIZES THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SITUATION, EXCHANGE, AND PERCEPTION AND WHICH IS BASED ON AN INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A POLICE DISTRICT IN WASHINGTON, D. C., WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE PILOT DISTRICT PROJECT, A CITIZENS' GROUP FUNDED TO STUDY AND IMPROVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. DATA WERE GATHERED BY INTERVIEWING A SAMPLE OF THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, BY ADMINISTERING A QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE POLICE-CITIZEN ENCOUNTERS IN THE FIELD. THE SITUATION DIMENSION REPRESENTS THE BOUNDARIES OF A POLICE-CITIZEN ENCOUNTER SUCH AS RACE, AGE, AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH POLICE; THE EXCHANGE DIMENSION DEPICTS THE ONGOING GIVE AND TAKE OF THE ENCOUNTER; AND THE PERCEPTION DIMENSION INCLUDES ONE'S PERCEPTION OF OTHER AND SELF WHICH IN TURN INFLUENCES SUCH ROLE EXPECTATIONS AS THE POLICE OFFICER WHO SEES HIMSELF AS A TOUGH COP. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT HOW ONE PERCEIVES ONESELF BEING TREATED BY POLICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH HOW ONE PERCEIVES ONESELF BEING TREATED BY POLICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH HOW ONE PERCEIVES POLICE IN GENERAL, AND THAT THE QUALITY OF ONE'S ASSOCIATION WITH POLICE SEEMS TO BE MORE SALIENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE FOR WHITES, PEOPLE OVER 35, AND FEMALES. IN ADDITION, THE STUDY FOUND THAT RACE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH PERCEPTION OF POLICE AND CITIZENS, AND THAT THE YOUNG BLACK WAS TYPICALLY THE MOST ANTAGONISTIC TOWARD POLICE WHILE THE OLDER WHITE WAS MOST SUPPORTIVE. THE STUDY ALSO EXPLORED A POLICE ROLE IDENTITY TYPOLOGY WHICH INCLUDED THE ABUSIVE LEGALIST OFFICER, THE TASK OFFICER, AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER. THE STUDY RECOMMENDED EDUCATING POLICE OFFICERS ON INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, ESTABLISHING FORMAL POLICY ON COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT POLICE AFFAIRS, ESTABLISHING POLICY ON PLACING OFFICERS IN ALTERNATIVE JOB TASKS AFTER CONFLICTUAL ENCOUNTERS, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON POLICE TASKS AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CRIME CONTROL, AND ESTABLISHING FORMAL COMIC RELIEF MECHANISMS. FURTHER RESEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVE PROCESS MODELS AND ALTERNATIVE DATA BASES TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL LINKS WITHIN THE POLICE-CITIZEN INTERACTION MODEL IS SUGGESTED. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. AN APPENDIX CONTAINS DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 34 CITATIONS IS GIVEN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)