NCJ Number
67005
Date Published
1980
Length
639 pages
Annotation
THIS THIRD EDITION OF A TEXT ON POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY EXAMINES THE INTERACTIONS AMONG THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE PROCESSES OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING VIEWS OF CRIME.
Abstract
THE TEXT IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE PARTS, PERMITTING STUDENTS TO EXPLORE MAJOR ISSUES IN POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS FROM SEVERAL PERSPECTIVES. PART ONE DISCUSSES A HISTORY OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THE ROLE OF POLICE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, POLICE PROFESSIONALISM, AND THE DISCRETIONARY USE OF POLICE POWER. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE PUBLIC IMAGE AND SELF-IMAGE OF THE POLICE OFFICER AND THE PERCEPTIONS AND PREJUDICE INVOLVING THE POLICE AND THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE. DEALT WITH SPECIFICALLY ARE SOME SALIENT POINTS PERTAINING TO THE CHILDHOOD SOCIALIZATION PROCESS (E.G., THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE AND SELF-RESPECT) THAT INFLUENCE THE SELF-IMAGE AND MORALE OF OFFICERS. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOCIAL SELVES AND SOCIAL ROLES ARE DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF A POLICE OFFICER'S CHOICE OF THIS JOB, ATTITUDES TOWARD THE JOB, AND THE PARADOXIC IMPORTANCE SOCIETY ASCRIBES TO A JOB WITH SUCH LOW SOCIAL STATUS. PART THREE EXPLORES POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. TRENDS IN POPULATION SIZE AND DENSITY AND PATTERNS OF POVERTY ARE DESCRIBED AS CRUCIAL MATTERS IN POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND POLICE-MINRITY RELATIONS. THE BLACK AND POLICE SUBCULTURES ARE ANALYZED BY THE EFFECTS OF THE SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE, DEMONSTRATING THAT RACE IS MUCH LESS A POLICE-MINORITY FRICTION FACTOR THAN SOCIAL CLASS. POLICE AND THE YOUNG, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS AND COLLEGE CAMPUS MOVEMENTS OF THE 1960'S AND DRUG CULTURES OF THE 1970'S ARE EXAMINED, AND THE ISSUE OF CITIZEN CONTROL OF THE POLICE IS ADDRESSED. THEN OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT AFFECT POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS ARE CONSIDERED. WHILE SOME CHAPTERS TAKE UP RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM--POLICE-PROSECUTORIAL-COURT-RELATIONS AND CORRECTIONS-COMMUNITY RELATIONS--OTHERS ARE DEVOTED TO MEDIA RELATIONS, THE POLITICS OF POLICING, AND CRIME PREVENTION. A FINAL SECTION DISCUSSES POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROBLEMS OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE AND SUGGESTS THAT POLICE AND COMMUNITY TEAMWORK IN DEALING WITH PROBLEMS IS BASICALLY AN EXERCISE IN PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY. COVERED ARE POLICE TRAINING PROGRAMS IN RACIAL AND CULTURAL CONFLICT AND PSYCHOLOGY, LEAA-FUNDED PROGRAMS (SUCH AS DIVERSIONARY PROJECTS), CRISIS INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, TEAM POLICING, AND ALTERNATIVE PATROLS PRACTICES. SUMMARIES ARE PROVIDED FOR EACH SECTION AND CHAPTER, AND A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY, WHICH IS ANNUALLY UPDATED AND MAINTAINED FOR USE IN MICHIGAN STATE'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, IS INCLUDED. FOR THE INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL, SEE NCJ 67006. (AOP)