INFORMAL 'CODE' OF POLICE DEVIANCY - A GROUP APPROACH TO 'BLUE-COAT CRIME' (FROM POLICE IN AMERICA, 1975, BY JEROME H SKOLNICK AND THOMAS C GRAY - SEE NCJ-19813)

• NCJ Number: 19831
• Author(s): E R STODDARD
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Little, Brown and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SOCIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF POLICE CRIME AS A FUNCTIONING INFORMAL SOCIAL SYSTEM WHOSE NORMS AND PRACTICES ARE AT VARIANCE WITH LEGAL STATUTES.

Abstract

FROM DATA FURNISHED BY A PARTICIPANT INFORMANT, AN INFORMAL CODE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN ONE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS DOCUMENTED. THE GROUP PROCESSES WHICH ENCOURAGES AND MAINTAINED THE CODE WERE IDENTIFIED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NEW RECRUITS WERE SOCIALIZED INTO CODE PARTICIPATION BY OLD TIMERS, AND GROUP ACCEPTANCE WAS WITHHELD FROM THOSE WHO ATTEMPTED TO REMAIN COMPLETELY HONEST AND NOT BE IMPLICATED. WHEN FORMAL POLICE REGULATIONS WERE IN CONFLICT WITH CODE DEAMNDS AMONG ITS PRACTITIONERS, THE LATTER TOOK PRECEDENCE.