IMPORTANCE OF POLICE CONTACT IN THE FORMULATION OF YOUTHS' ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE

• NCJ Number: 47740
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 53-67
• Author(s): W T RUSINKO; K W JOHNSON; C A HORNUNG
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Maryland
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE SOUTHERN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 1977

Annotation

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONTACTS BETWEEN POLICE AND JUVENILES AS DETERMINANTS OF JUVENILES' ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE IS EXAMINED IN A STUDY OF 1,200 PUPILS IN THE NINTH GRADE IN LANSING, MICH.

Abstract

THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, WHICH WAS ADMINISTERED IN THE LATE 1960'S, MEASURED THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF EXPERIENCES WITH POLICE, SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR AND DEFIANCE OF PARENTAL AUTHORITY, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE. THREE FACTORS -- RACE, DEVIANCE, AND PARENTAL DEFIANCE -- ARE USED AS CONTROL VARIABLES TO SPECIFY CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTUAL CONTACT WITH POLICE IS ENHANCED OR DIMINISHED. POSITIVE CONTACTS ARE PREDICTIVE OF POSITIVE ATTITUDES, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUTHS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A NEGATIVE ENCOUNTER WITH POLICE, FOR THOSE WHO REPORT FREQUENT INVOLVEMENT IN DEVIANCE, AND FOR THOSE WHO REPORT DEFYING THEIR PARENTS. NEGATIVE CONTACTS ARE PREDICTIVE OF NEGATIVE ATTITUDES, PARTICULARLY FOR WHITE YOUTHS, FOR YOUTHS WHO REPORT INFREQUENT DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, AND FOR YOUTHS WHO HAVE HAD LITTLE OR NO POSITIVE CONTACT WITH POLICE. OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE ARE TWO FINDINGS: THAT POSITIVE CONTACTS CAN NEUTRALIZE THE EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE CONTACTS; AND THAT POSITIVE CONTACTS DO NOT DIMINISH THE TENDENCY FOR BLACK YOUTHS TO BE NEGATIVE IN THEIR OPINIONS OF POLICE. POLICY IMPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY, THAT POLICE MANAGEMENT MUST EXPLORE WAYS TO IMPROVE THE ATTITUDES OF BLACK YOUTH TOWARD POLICE. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)