POLICE AND CITIZEN VALUE SYSTEMS - SOME CROSS-SECTIONAL COMPARISONS

• NCJ Number: 61490
• Journal: Journal of Applied Social Psychology Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY-SEPTEMBER 1977) Pages: 191-204
• Author(s): R W GRIFFETH; T P CAFFERTY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Scripta Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY OF POLICE AND CITIZEN VALUE SYSTEMS VERIFIES AN EARLIER STUDY IN ANOTHER REGION WHICH FOUND THAT POLICE AND CITIZEN VALUES DIFFER, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING 'EQUALITY.'

Abstract

A 1971 STUDY (ROKEACH ET AL) DEALT WITH VALUES OF THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY DIFFER. THE CURRENT STUDY EXPANDED THE DATA BASE TO THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. IT INVOLVED ADMINISTRATION OF THE ROKEACH VALUE SURVEY TO 104 SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE OFFICERS AND 316 COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. BOTH DATA FROM THE ROKEACH AND THE PRESENT STUDY WERE ANALYZED TO TEST THESE HYPOTHESES: (1) THAT THE VALUE SYSTEMS OF THE POLICE DIFFER FROM THOSE OF OTHER CITIZENS; (2) THAT POLICE ARE RECRUITED FROM A CERTAIN STRATUM OF SOCIETY; (3) THAT CERTAIN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS LEAD TO A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT; AND (4) THAT POLICE VALUES ARE A FUNCTION OF OCCUPATIONAL SOCIALIZATION PROCESS. EVIDENCE IN BOTH STUDIES SUPPORTED ALL BUT THE LAST OF THESE HYPOTHESES. BOTH STUDIES ANALYZED THE GENERAL CONFIGURATION OF RANKINGS OF PERSONAL TERMINAL AND INSTRUMENTAL VALUES AND LOOKED FOR CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GROUPS. THE ARTICLE REPORTS THE COMPOSITION OF POLICE AND CITIZEN SAMPLES--BOTH SUBJECT GROUPS ADDRESSED THE QUESTION OF ATTITUDES BASED ON RACE-AND EXPLAINS THE PROCEDURE FOR ADMINISTERING THE QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS SHOW SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICE AND CITIZENS ON TERMINAL VALUES, BUT NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO AGE OR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND NONE BETWEEN BLACK POLICE AND BLACK CITIZENS CONCERNING THE TERMINAL VALUE OF 'EQUALITY'. RESULTS OF THE CURRENT STUDY SUPPORT OF 'EQUALITY.' RESULTS OF THE CURRENT STUDY SUPPORT SUGGESTS SEVERAL IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS, INCLUDING BROAD AREAS OF CONSENSUS-THAT INDICATE PROPER EMPHASIS FOR PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS, AND AREAS OF DIFFERENCE IN VALUES BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY FOR 'EQUALITY.' (RFC)