NCJ Number
34803
Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (MAY 1976) Pages: 161-175
Date Published
1976
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR ASSERTS THAT POLICE AND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF POLICE IN SOCIETY IS 'MORALISED' TO AVOID RECOGNITION OF THE POLICE ROLE IN MAINTAINING SOCIAL CLASS BARRIERS.
Abstract
DATA ON PUBLIC AND POLICE ROLE PERCEPTIONS ARE BASED ON A PREVIOUS STUDY BY THE AUTHORS OF THE POLICE OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA. BOTH GROUPS RATED EXERCISING CONTROL AND MAINTAINING ORDER LOW ON A LIST OF POLICE TASKS. WHILE STRESSING THE CRIME CONTROL FUNCTIONS. POLICE RESPONDENTS STRESSED PROTECTION OF THE WEAK AND PROFESSED TO IDENTIFY WITH THE WORKING CLASS. THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER, SAW THE PRIVILEGED CLASS AS RECEIVING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT. THE AUTHORS BELIEVE THAT THE DISCRIMINATING ACTIONS OF THE POLICE AGAINST A LOWER CLASS AS TARGET POPULATION CAN BE EXPLAINED BY THE STATUS DISCREPANCY OTHERWISE EXPERIENCED BY THE POLICE THEMSELVES. THIS STATUS DISCREPANCY RESULTS FROM THE FACT THAT THE POLICE OFFICER TYPICALLY HAS CONSIDERABLE ORDINANCE POWER OVER HIS INTERACTION PARTNER, HOWEVER, HE IS UNABLE TO MANIFEST THIS POWER BY VIRTUE OF SOCIAL SUPERIORITY. HE RELIES INSTEAD UPON HIS FORMAL STATUS AS A POLICE OFFICER. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A MERE STRESSING OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES FUNCTION OF THE POLICE OFFICER WILL NOT SUFFICE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. PROFESSIONALIZATION MAY HELP THROUGH DEEMPHASIS OF THE SUBJECTIVE COMPONENT OF POLICE SELECTIVITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)