FACTORS UNDERMINING POLICE COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW

• NCJ Number: 18965
• Author(s): M A PEARSON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 265 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Annotation

EXPLORATION OF FACTORS WHICH COULD UNDERMINE A POLICE OFFICER'S COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW, PURSUED BY WEIGHING THE OFFICER'S COMMITMENT, AS A DEPENDENT VARIABLE, AGAINST FOUR OTHER FACTORS OF BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

THE STUDY REPRESENTS AN EXTENSION OF SKOLNICK'S THESIS (1966) THAT THE MAJOR PROBLEM FACING THE POLICE IS THEIR RESPONSE TO THE DEMANDS FOR ORDER MAINTENANCE UNDER A RULE OF LAW. THE FOUR INDEPENDENT VARIABLES TESTED WERE: THE OFFICER'S BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS, HIS PERSONALITY. THE EFFECTS OF THE POLICE CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THREAT IN HIS OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. THE STUDY WAS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED FROM QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO MEMBERS OF THE COLUMBUS, GA. POLICE FORCE. LITTLE SUPPORT WAS FOUND FOR THE ARGUMENT THAT TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT PRACTICES AND SUBSEQUENT RELATIVE HOMOGENITY OF SOCIAL CLASS BACKGROUNDS AND ATTITUDES STRONGLY INFLUENCE THE OFFICER'S PERCEPTION OF HIS ROLE. THE STRONGEST SUPPORT WAS FOUND FOR THREAT AS AN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE. A FACTOR WHICH THE AUTHOR SEES AS HAVING LARGE IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IN POLICE DEVIANCE. THE BACKGROUND LITERATURE, STUDY HYPOTHESES, RESEARCH DESIGN, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS ARE FULLY DETAILED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)