NCJ Number
19282
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1974) Pages: 219-233
Date Published
1974
Length
15 pages
Annotation
STUDY DESIGNED TO TEST THE EFFECT OF RACE AND DOGMATISM ON CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE IN WICHITA, KANSAS.
Abstract
THE ATTITUDE SCALE DEVELOPED FOR THIS STUDY MEASURED CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE BASED ON THE EXTENT OF RACIAL PREJUDICE DEMONSTRATED BY POLICE, THE EXTENT OF POLICE ABUSE OF CITIZENS, EXTENT OF UNETHICAL POLICE BEHAVIOR, THE EXTENT OF POLICE INDIRECT HARASSMENT OF CITIZENS, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH POLICE MANPOWER IS ADEQUATELY EXPENDED. THIS NINE-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE WAS RESPONDED TO ON A SEVEN-POINT AGREEMENT-DISAGREEMENT CONTINUUM BY A FOUR-STAGE PROPORTIONAL RANDOM SAMPLING OF 1000 COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. NON-WHITE RESIDENTS EVALUATED POLICE LESS FAVORABLY THAN DID WHITES. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND ON LEVEL OF DOGMATISM IN EVALUATING THE POLICE. APPLICATIONS OF THESE METHODS TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IS SUGGESTED ALONG WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSESSING CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE TO OBTAIN DATA WHICH WILL OPTIMIZE THE SETTING OF GOALS FOR POLICECOMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAMMING. APPENDED TO THIS ARTICLE ARE AN ITEM-BY-ITEM SUMMARY OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES.