RECONSTRUCTION OF A RIOT - A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITY TENSIONS AND CIVIL DISORDER

• NCJ Number: 2193
• Author(s): R KAPSIS; B SAUNDERS
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 74 pages
• Sale Source: Brandeis University
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY OF A 4-DAY CIVIL DISTURBANCE IN 1968 IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA.

Abstract

THE STUDY RECOUNTS THE DISTURBANCE BY PRESENTING THE SAME EVENTS AS REPORTED BY 3 GROUPS - THE NEWS MEDIA, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND CITIZENS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THIS TECHNIQUE AVOIDS FORCING CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS TO RESEARCHERS. THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT MUCH OF THE INTENSITY AND ARBITRARINESS ATTRIBUTED TO RIOTOUS BEHAVIOR IS ILLUSORY. THE STUDY ALSO SUGGESTS THAT, BECAUSE OF CONFUSING INFORMATION AND NATURAL HUMAN ERROR, GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT URBAN DISORDERS BASED ON OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS ARE OFTEN RISKY.