NCJ Number
44135
Date Published
1977
Length
22 pages
Annotation
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE JAPANESE AND AMERICAN POLICE SYSTEMS ARE EXAMINED IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE MUCH LOWER CRIME RATE IN JAPAN; JAPAN'S 'POLICE CULTURE' AND PREVAILING SOCIAL VALUES ARE SEEN AS THE KEY FACTORS.
Abstract
OVERALL, THE JAPANESE CRIME RATE IS ONE-FOURTH THE RATE IN THE U.S.: THERE ARE 10 TIMES MORE MURDERS IN THE U.S. THAN IN JAPAN, 13 TIMES MORE RAPES PER CAPITA, AND 208 TIMES MORE ROBBERIES. ONE REASON FOR THIS LOWER CRIMINALITY IN JAPAN IS THE MORE PERVASIVE POLICE PRESENCE, CHARACTERIZED BY THE INSTITUTION OF THE 'KOBAN,' OR STORE-FRONT POLICE POSTS, LOCATED WITHIN SEVEN OR EIGHT BLOCKS OF EVERY URBAN RESIDENCE. IN JAPAN, THEREFORE, THE POLICE PENETRATE THE COMMUNITY ROUTINELY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND NOT NECESSARILY IN THE CONTEXT OF AN EMERGENCY. THE JAPANESE POLICE ALSO CONDUCT A RESIDENTIAL SURVEY TWICE A YEAR, DURING WHICH GENERAL DATA ON RESIDENTS AND SUSPECTED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES ARE COLLECTED AND THEN FILED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE IN THE LOCAL KOBAN. THE SURVEY PROVIDES USEFUL INFORMATION, BASIC INTELLIGENCE, AND PROMOTES CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND COMMUNITY. EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN JAPAN HAS A CRIME PREVENTION ASSOCIATION, SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY ACTIVE IN DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION ON SECURITY AND CRIME PREVENTION AND WHOSE MEMBERS OCCASIONALLY PATROL THE STREETS AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE POLICE DURING EMERGENCIES. THE JAPANESE POLICE COMMUNITY PREVENTS CORRUPTION AND BRUTALITY THROUGH INTERNAL SUPERVISION AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FORCE AS A WHOLE, RATHER THAN THROUGH EXTERNAL MECHANISMS AND PRESSURES. JAPANESE POLICE ARE ARMED, BUT RARELY USE THEIR WEAPONS, AS THERE ARE SO FEW GUNS IN THE HANDS OF THE CITIZENRY; MEMBERS OF THE JAPANESE POLICE FORCE ARE ALSO BETTER TRAINED IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT (I.E., JUDO AND KENDO) THAN AMERICAN POLICE. ASPECTS OF JAPANESE SOCIETY AND CULTURE WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOW CRIME RATE ARE THE PRESERVATION OF INFORMAL MECHANISMS OF DEVIANCE CONTROL, E.G., THE FAMILY, WORKPLACE, AND NEIGHBORHOOD; OBEDIENCE AND RESPECT FOR LAW AND AUTHORITY; AND AN OVERALL MORAL RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM IN THE AMERICAN SYSTEM INCLUDE: (1) AMALGAMATING POLICE JURISDICTIONS, WHICH WOULD PRESERVE DECENTRALIZED COMMAND, BUT WOULD INSTITUTE STATEWIDE STANDARDS FOR PAY, HIRING, TRAINING, AND PROMOTION OF OFFICERS; (2) DEEMPHASIZING THE AUTOMOBILE AND STATIONING POLICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN STORE-FRONT POSTS; (3) INCREASING SOCIAL SERVICE FUNCTIONS; AND (4) INCREASING PROFESSIONAL GROUP IDENTITY, LEGITIMIZING DISCRETION, AND ENHANCING TRAINING FOR THE POLICE. STATISTICAL GRAPHS AND TABLES ON JAPANESE CRIME RATES ARE APPENDED.