NCJ Number
47066
Date Published
1973
Length
21 pages
Annotation
SOME SPECIFIC GOALS OF TRAINING POLICE IN FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION AND METHODS EMPLOYED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS ARE DESCRIBED AND A NEW TRAINING MODEL IS PROPOSED.
Abstract
THE FIRST STEP IN IDENTIFYING REALISTIC GOALS OF POLICE TRAINING FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION IS TO DETERMINE THE MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF THE POLICE IN HANDLING DOMESTIC CRISES. SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE POLICE THEMSELVES PERCEIVE THEIR ROLE AS 80 PERCENT 'SOCIAL WORK,' SUCH AS GIVING DIRECTIONS AND INTERCEDING IN DOMESTIC RELATIONS. ANALYSES HAVE SHOWN THAT 90 PERCENT OF POLICE TIME IS SPENT SOLVING NONCRIMINAL TYPE PROBLEMS RELATING TO PERSONAL CRISIS. FIFTY PERCENT OF POLICE CALLS NATIONWIDE ARE REQUESTS TO INTERVENE IN FAMILY DISPUTES. THE POLICEOFFICER HAS THUS BECOME A HELPING AGENT WHOSE TWO MAJOR FUNCTIONS ARE INFORMATION AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND ASSISTANCE IN HUMAN CONFLICT SITUATIONS. THUS, THE SKILLS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO SUCH WORK INCLUDE: (1) COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS, INCLUDING AN UNDERSTANDING OF SUBTLE VERBAL AND NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS; (2) AN UNDERSTANDING OF LIKELY REACTIONS OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE POLICE; (3) AN ABILITY TO CONVINCE OTHERS OF ONE'S DESIRE AND ABILITY TO BE EFFECTIVE HELPER; AND (4) THE EFFECTIVE USE OF ONE'S OWN EMOTIONS IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS. THESE SKILLS ARE SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO BE BEHAVIORALLY DEFINED AND THEREFORE MORE READILY TEACHABLE. THE TRAINING MODEL PROPOSED TO TEACH THESE SKILLS INVOLVES FIVE STAGES: (1) USING EFFECTIVE NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR; (2) USING EFFECTIVE VERBAL BEHAVIOR; (3) UNDERSTANDING ONE'S NEEDS IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS; (4) UNDERSTANDING OTHERS' COMMUNICATIONS; AND (5) ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS. CERTAIN INSTRUCTIONAL PRINCIPLES ARE USED, SUCH AS SELF-LEARNING BY GROUP DISCUSSION, ACTIVE TRAINEE PARTICIPATION, AND IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK FROM A TEACHER OR THE GROUP CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF TRAINEES' RESPONSES. THE FOLLOWING FORMAT WAS USED TO TEACH EACH INDIVIDUAL SKILL: IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING THE SKILL OR ABILITY TO BE LEARNED; DISCUSSING THE NEED FOR THE SKILL; GIVING EXAMPLES OF THE SKILL; SPECIFYING THE LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT NECESSARY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE SKILL OR ABILITY IS UNDERSTOOD; AND PRACTICING THE SKILL TO THE POINT THAT THE PARTICIPANT CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THE SKILL HAS BEEN LEARNED. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS TRAINING IS TOWARD CHANGING THE TRAINEE'S BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN HIS ATTITUDES, AS IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER ATTITUDES CAN BE CHANGED IN A SHORT TIME. THERE ARE ALSO INDICATIONS THAT WHEN ONE'S BEHAVIOR TOWARD ANOTHER CHANGES, ATTITUDES OR FEELINGS WILL CHANGE AS WELL. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.