POLICE ACTIVITY PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL WORK - SWEDEN (FROM POLICE AND SOCIAL ORDER, 1979, JOHANNES KNUTSSON, ET AL - SEE NCJ-60476)

• NCJ Number: 60484
• Author(s): U B ERIKSSON; E KUHLHORN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Brottsforebyggande Radet
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM AN EVALUATION OF POLICE-LED SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN A SWEDISH HIGH SCHOOL.

Abstract

IN AN EFFORT TO FOSTER PATTERNS OF COOPERATION WITH THE POLICE, POLICE TAUGHT IN CERTAIN OBLIGATORY SUBJECT AREAS AND LED RECREATIONAL COURSES IN THE LARSBODA SCHOOL, LOCATED IN FARSTA, A STOCKHOLM SUBURB OF ABOUT 22,000 INHABITANTS. ONE GENERAL CATEGORY OF POLICE-LED ACTIVITY INVOLVED AN OBLIGATORY SUBJECT AREA, VOLUNTARY WORK (FVA). STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE AMONG A RANGE OF SUBJECTS, INCLUDING AQUARIUM CARE, TABLE-TENNIS, SOCCER AND ICE HOCKEY, FENCING, DOG-CARE AND RIDING, JUDO, POLICE AT WORK, AND SWIMMING. A SECOND POLICE-LED ACTIVITY DEALT WITH VOLUNTARY RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS. EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF THESE POLICE-LED PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON THE AMOUNT OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND THE QUALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND THE POLICE. THE CRIME PREVENTIVE EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAMS WERE ALSO EXAMINED. DATA ON STUDENT PARTICIPATION WERE COLLECTED FROM THE SCHOOL PARTICIPATION REGISTER, AND TO ASSESS ATTTIUDINAL IMPACT, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO RESPOND TO A QUESTIONNAIRE. MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN SOME FVA SUBJECT LED BY A POLICE OFFICER. PARTICIPATION IN THE VOLUNTARY RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES HAS BEEN LOW, WITH ONLY 9 PERCENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATING. PATTERNS OF PARTICIPATION WERE APPARENTLY RELATED TO PEER INFLUENCE. FACTORS LIKE GRADES, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, AND SOCIAL DEVIANCE HAD NO MEASURABLE INFLUENCE ON THE STUDENTS' CHOICES. FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRES, THE PROJECT SEEMED TO STRENGTHEN POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT STUDENT PARTICIPANTS HAD A GREATER INCLINATION TO REPORT OBSERVED CRIME. TEACHER SUGGESTIONS FOR THE POLICE-LED ACTIVITIES WERE (1) HAVE A SMALLER NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER CLASS, (2) HAVE MORE COMPREHENSIVE OBSERVATION OF INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM STUDENTS, AND (3) INTENSIFY COOPERATION WITH PARENTS. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)