NCJ Number
31199
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1975) Pages: 358-371
Date Published
1975
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER PRESENTS A GENERAL RATIONALE FOR POLICE PREVENTION-DIVERSION PROGRAMS AND DESCRIBES A THREE-YEAR PROJECT IN WHICH POLICE TEAMS WERE ASSIGNED TO SCHOOLS.
Abstract
THE SCHOOL RELATIONS BUREAU (SRB) OF THE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS BEGUN IN LATE 1970 AS A TWO-PERSON TEAM OF OFFICERS DESIGNED TO SERVE A LIAISON FUNCTION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GOALS OF THE BUREAU WAS TO PREVENT THE ESCALATION OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN AND AROUND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MONTGOMERY. A SIGNIFICANT SECONDARY GOAL FROM ITS INCEPTION HAS BEEN THE IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POLICE AND YOUTH. THE TWO-PERSON BUREAU WAS EXPANDED TO EIGHT PERSONS THE SECOND YEAR. IN THE SPRING OF 1972, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION APPROVED A GRANT REQUEST FROM THE MONTGOMERY POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH ALLOWED THE BUREAU TO EXPAND TO 16 OFFICERS AND ADDITIONALLY PROVIDED FUNDS FOR TRAINING, SUPERVISION, AND EVALUATION. FEATURES OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDED JOB SPECIFIC TRAINING, SUPERVISION AND CONSULTATION BY A FULL-TIME PSYCHOLOGIST, AND NUMEROUS INFORMAL POLICE-YOUTH CONTACTS. STUDENTS AND TEACHER ACCEPTANCE WAS HIGH. MOST OFFICERS SUCCESSFULLY MOVED INTO HELPING ROLES, AND SEVERAL SPECIFIC BENEFITS ACCRUED TO STUDENTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)