PUBLIC DISORDER AND THE POLICE - AN EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 55924
• Author(s): E KUHLHORN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 0 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden

Annotation

THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATING THE RIGHT OF POLICE TO TAKE AND DETAIN PERSONS WHO DISRUPT PUBLIC ORDER IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, THROUGH THE 1973 TEMPORARY CUSTODY ACT IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF CRIMINALITY FOR 1974.

Abstract

AT LEAST TWO SITUATIONS MUST EXIST FOR A TEMPORARY CUSTODY TO BE INSTIGATED: (1) DISRUPTION OF PUBLIC ORDER; AND (2) LEGAL MEASURES BY POLICE AGAINST SUCH DISRUPTION. PERSONS DETAINED IN 1974 REPRESENTED ONE-HALF OF 1 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IN STOCKHOLM. DETAINEES ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF SERIOUS CRIMINALITY. INDIVIDUALS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WERE GENERALLY HELD FOR 2 TO 3 HOURS. IN PRINCIPLE, DETAINEES WERE NOT SUBJECT TO LEGAL CONSEQUENCES. THE TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF PERSONS WHO DISRUPTED PUBLIC ORDER ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF ALL DETENTIONS INSTITUTED BY POLICE. ANALYSIS OF A 12-PERCENT RANDOM SAMPLE OF 1974 DETAINEES SHOWED THAT MANY DISRUPTIONS OF PUBLIC ORDER OCCURRED IN GROUPS. THREE DETENTION SITUATIONS WERE EVIDENT: ACTIVE DISRUPTION OF PUBLIC ORDER; POLICE CONFLICTS; AND GANG BEHAVIOR. ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF DETAINEES WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR NARCOTICS, AND ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE HAD BEEN CONVICTED FOR SERIOUS CRIMES DURING THE PREVIOUS 5 YEARS. SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS OF ANALYSIS FINDINGS FOR CRIMINALITY ARE THE SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF TEMPORARY CUSTODY THROUGH INCAPACITATION AND CRIME PREVENTION EFFECTS OVER AND ABOVE INCAPACITATION. IN EVALUATING CRIME PREVENTION EFFECTS, HOWEVER, INTERFERING FACTORS MUST BE CONSIDERED: CRIME PREVENTION EFFECTS VARY FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS AND INVESTIGATION OF A CERTAIN GROUP CAN LEAD TO FALSE CONCLUSIONS; AND CRIME PREVENTION EFFECTS CAN BE REACHED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. METHODS INDEPENDENT OF POLICE MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO OBSERVE PUBLIC ORDER DISTURBANCES AND OBTAIN RELIABLE INFORMATION. A MODEL OF PUBLIC ORDER DISRUPTION, AS HANDLED BY POLICE, TO EVALUATE CRIMINALITY FOR A GIVEN GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IS PRESENTED. THE ROLE OF NARCOTICS IN PUBLIC ORDER OFFENSES IS CONSIDERED. SUPPORTING DATA AND FIGURES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)