POLICE AND SOCIETY IN ISRAEL (FROM POLICE AND SOCIETY, 1977 BY DAVID H BAYLEY - SEE NCJ-44651)

• NCJ Number: 44660
• Author(s): W A GAMSON; E YUCHTMAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc; University of Denver
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIETAL FEATURES AND THE POLITICAL NEUTRALITY OR PARTISANSHIP OF POLICE IN COLLECTIVE-ACTION SITUATIONS IS EXPLORED, WITH REFERENCE TO POLICE PRACTICES IN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES.

Abstract

SOCIAL CONDITIONS DETERMINING THE EXTENT OF PARTISAN INVOLVEMENT BY POLICE FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES: THOSE SOCIETAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT DETERMINE THE GENERAL CONTROL EXERCISED BY CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES OVER POLICE; AND THOSE SITUATIONAL FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF CONTROL WITH RESPECT TO PARTICULAR GROUPS AND ISSUES. IT IS THEORIZED THAT GREATER POLITICIZATION, CENTRALIZATION, AND CONTINUITY OF POLITICAL POWER ARE GENERAL SOCIETAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTROL BY CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES OVER THE POLICE. FOUR VARIABLES -- THE REFLECTION OF SOCIAL CLEAVAGES WITHIN CIVILIAN AUTHORITY, POLITICAL SUBCULTURE AMONG THE POLICE, RANK-AND-FILE POLICE ORGANIZATION, AND NORMATIVE COMMITMENT TO DUE PROCESS AMONG THE POLICE -- ARE THOUGHT TO INFLUENCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT POLICE WILL INTERVENE IN A PARTISAN MANNER IN SOCIAL CONFLICTS. COMPARISON OF SITUATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL WITHIN THIS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK REVEALS DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND CIVILIAN AUTHORITY. ISRAELI POLICE ARE CONSIDERABLY LESS INSULATED FROM POLITICAL AUTHORITY THAN ARE AMERICAN POLICE. AMERICAN POLICE HAVE A GREATER IMPULSE TOWARD INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ACTION, GREATER ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR SUCH ACTION, A MORE DISTINCTIVE POLITICAL SUBCULTURE, AND MORE POWERFUL RANK-AND-FILE ORGANIZATIONS THAN DO ISRAELI POLICE. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE DILEMMA APPEARS TO BE HOW TO TIGHTEN CONTROL OVER POLICE WITHOUT ABANDONING RESTRAINTS ON POLITICAL AUTHORITIES. IN ISRAEL, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE POLICE WILL BECOME AN INDEPENDENT POLITICAL FORCE. HOWEVER, THE ALTERNATIVE DANGER -- THAT THE POLICE WILL BECOME A DEPENDENT POLITICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT -- IS REAL. NOTES ARE PROVIDED.