NCJ Number
25377
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1975) Pages: 1-8
Date Published
1975
Length
8 pages
Annotation
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ESSAYS WRITTEN BY 106 POLICE TRAINEES IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON INTEGRATION VERSUS RACIAL SEPARATISM.
Abstract
THIS GROUP OF POLICEMEN-IN-TRAINING - 90 WHITE ETHNICS AND 16 BLACKS - HAD RECENTLY FINISHED A COURSE, PART OF WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS. IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION 'WILL THE SOLUTION TO THE BLACK PROBLEM BE A FORM OF SEGREGATION OR INTEGRATION?' 72 OF THE 90 WHITE POLICE TRAINEES EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE FOR INTEGRATION, 13 FAVORED SEPARATISM AND FIVE EXPRESSED NO CLEAR PREFERENCES. OF THE 16 BLACK TRAINEES 13 FAVORED INTEGRATION, ONE SEPARATISM AND TWO REACHED NO DECISION. OUT OF THE 72 WHITE CADETS WHO PREFERRED INTEGRATION OVER SEPARATISM, THREE OUT OF FOUR FAILED TO SEE THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS AND 35 IDENTIFIED BLACK SEPARATISM WITH MILITANTS AND THE BREAKUP OF THE UNITED STATES. ANOTHER 27 IMPLIED THIS SAME VIEW IN THEIR PREFERENCE FOR INTEGRATION, THE AUTHOR POINTS OUT THAT ONLY 17 OF THE WHITE TRAINEES FAVORING INTEGRATION EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR PROVISIONS FOR CULTURAL AUTONOMY OR ETHNIC SELFEXPRESSION (CULTURAL SEPARATISM). HE SUGGESTS THAT THE FAILURE OF THE REST TO MENTION THIS PROVISION POSSIBLY INDICATES FAILURE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF BLACK SEPARATISM. THESE FACTS ARE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH THE THEORY THAT PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POLICE AND POLICE PERCEPTIONS DETERMINE POLICE EFFECTIVENESS AND BEHAVIOR.