NCJ Number
37425
Date Published
1976
Length
275 pages
Annotation
BASED ON OVER 100 INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN TWO STATES, THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE WAYS RURAL POLICE FIND OUT ABOUT IMPORTANT U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE SOURCES OF SUCH INFORMATION.
Abstract
THE IN-DEPTH, OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS WERE CARRIED OUT IN TWO LOCALITIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. AS A COMPLEMENT TO THE VIEWS OF POLICE OFFICIALS AND OFFICERS, THIS STUDY ALSO PRESENTS THE VIEWS OF PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AND JUDGES AS TO HOW THEY OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURT'S RULINGS AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH POLICE OBTAIN THIS INFORMATION. INITIAL CHAPTERS IN THIS TEXT PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF POLICE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON SUPREME COURT DECISIONS. A DISCUSSION OF THE PRACTICAL PROBLEM OF INFORMING POLICE ABOUT COURT RULINGS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PROBLEM FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DISCRETION, AND PROFESSIONALISM IS FOLLOWED BY A SUMMARY OF STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S CRIMINAL PROCEDURE DECISIONS. RESULTS OF THE INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL ARE THEN PRESENTED. INFORMATION IS INCLUDED ON CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFICERS INTERVIEWED, THE OFFICERS' VIEWS OF NATIONAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS, THEIR VIEWS ON THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S ROLE, THE CASES CONSIDERED SALIENT BY THE OFFICERS, AND THEIR VIEWS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE COURT'S RULINGS ON POLICE WORK. FINALLY, THE WAYS IN WHICH THE OFFICERS LEARN ABOUT THE LAW ARE DISCUSSED. THE EXPECTATIONS OF OFFICERS CONCERNING WHO SHOULD EXPLAIN THE LAW TO THEM - PARTICULARLY PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES - ARE EXAMINED. THE WAYS THE OFFICERS FIND OUT ABOUT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AND THEIR VIEWS OF THOSE CHANNELS ARE REPORTED. FINALLY, THE STUDY EXAMINES THE TRAINING POLICE OFFICIALS AND OFFICERS RECEIVE, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO TRAINING CONCERNING JUDICIAL RULINGS ON CRIMINAL PROCEDURE; THE OFFICER'S VIEWS OF TRAINING ARE DISCUSSED. THE STUDY FINDINGS INDICATED THAT RURAL POLICE ARE NOT HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE LAW, THAT THE MEANS OF GETTING INFORMATION TO THEM ARE DIVERSE AND ARE PERCEIVED AS INADEQUATE, AND POLICE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT. THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT POLICE PERCEIVE THE EXISTING MECHANISMS FOR PROVIDING THEM WITH LEGAL INFORMATION TO BE INADEQUATE, AND THAT OFFICERS WANT MORE TRAINING IN THIS AREA. POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM BY WHICH INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED ARE EXAMINED AND CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN ABOUT THE DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)