NCJ Number
145205
Date Published
1992
Length
102 pages
Annotation
A questionnaire survey and telephone interviews gathered information regarding the functions and operation of systems through which citizen complaints against the police are processed, as well as significant trends and concerns.
Abstract
The national survey received responses of 31 of the 65 agencies contacted. Results revealed the existence of three general categories of civilian complaint systems: (1) external systems, with independent citizen receipt, investigation, review, and disposition of complaints; (2) hybrid systems, which combine police agency and independent citizen handling of complaints; and (3) internal systems, in which the police agency handles the complaints. Within each category, a wide variety of systems exist. Each jurisdiction has a functional system; therefore, no one arrangement is the most appropriate. Footnotes and attached tables and survey instrument