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POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY

NCJ Number
10841
Author(s)
L A RADELET
Date Published
1973
Length
764 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIOLOGICAL, AND SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL SPECIFICALLY RELATED PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY LOOKS AT THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, EXAMINING SUCH FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES AS POLICE AND RESPONSIBILITIES, POLICE PROFESSIONALISM, AND POLICE DISCRETION. AN OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED FOR SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATIONS IN PROBLEMS OF POLICE-COMMUNITY INTERACTION, SUCH AS POLICE SELF-IMAGE, THE POLICE SUB-CULTURE, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SELVES AND SOCIAL ROLES. SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF POLICECOMMUNITY RELATIONS ARE DISCUSSED. AMONG THOSE COVERED ARE METHODS OF SOCIAL CONTROL AND THE VARIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL PROCESSES - COOPERATION, COMPETITION, CONFLICT, AND ACCULTURATION. THE AUTHOR EXPLORES SYSTEMIC RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INCLUDING POLICE-PROSECUTORIAL-COURT RELATIONS, AND CORRECTIONS-COMMUNITY RELATIONS. POLICEMEDIA AND POLICE-POLITICAL RELATIONS ARE CONSIDERED AS WELL. VARIOUS PROGRAMS AIMED AT BRINGING ABOUT IMPROVED RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE ARE REVIEWED. POLICE TRAINING, INSTITUTIONS, POLICESCHOOL LIAISONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES ARE AMONG THE TYPES OF PROJECTS DESCRIBED. APPENDED MATERIAL INCLUDES AN EXTENSIVE GLOSSARY, A LIST OF WORKS CITED, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY. NCJ-10842 IS A COMPANION VOLUME OF CASE STUDIES. (SNI ABSTRACT)